Court help sought for tower repair

The private firm maintaining the infrastructure network which keeps electricity flowing to distributors and end users nationwide has sought the help of a court to compel a family in a Lanao del Sur town to allow access to their land for repairs on a transmission tower that was bombed in December, threatening power supply in Mindanao.

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), on Feb. 2, filed a civil case pleading to a regional trial court (RTC) in Marawi City for an order to compel the claimants of the land, the Sambitory family, to allow repairmen entry to the land where NGCP’s Tower No. 25, connected to the 138-kilovolt Agus 2-Kibawe line, stood. The bombing toppled the tower, a vital component of the power transmission system in Mindanao.

The tower was bombed on Dec. 24, paralyzing the Agus 2-Kibawe line and cutting off the supply of power from two hydro plants—Agus 1 and 2—that are connected to the Mindanao grid through the transmission line.

In a petition filed in the RTC branch in Marawi, NGCP said a writ of preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order should be issued to “compel the defendants (Sambitory family) to cease from committing acts that prevent” NGCP from entering the land and repairing the toppled tower.

NGCP said it cannot perform its mandate to maintain, rehabilitate, repair and refurbish the damaged transmission facilities if the family continues to refuse its workers access.

The continued refusal of the family to allow access to the land, NGCP said, “will result in shortage of power supply” in Mindanao and “disruption of public service due to massive blackouts and power interruptions.”

NGCP has been in talks with the family with the help of Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong, the National Power Corp.  and National Transmission Corp. (TransCo), to gain access to the land.

The family, which has ownership claims over the site of the bombed tower, is demanding payment of P40 million from TransCo, the government agency which has retained ownership of the towers.

NGCP said it hopes the RTC branch in Marawi City would act swiftly on the firm’s petition. “NGCP is ready to repair as soon as access is granted,” the company said.

NGCP said bombings and right-of-way violations give added burden to consumers in the form of power interruptions.

These problems, NGCP said, could also threaten power supply for the coming elections.

“We appeal to local community leaders to help us monitor the safety of the towers,” said NGCP.

NGCP is the company in charge of operating, maintaining and developing the country’s power grid. It transmits high-voltage electricity through “power superhighways” that include a system of transmission lines, towers, substations and related infrastructure.

The consortium, which holds the 25-year concession contract to operate the country’s power transmission network, is comprised of Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp., led by Henry Sy Jr.; Calaca High Power Corp., led by Robert Coyiuto Jr.; and the State Grid Corp. of China as a technical partner.