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NGCP seeks enforcement of anti-obstruction law

Danessa Rivera - The Philippine Star
NGCP seeks enforcement of anti-obstruction law
NGCP said the Agus 5-Aurora 138-kilovolt (kV) line tripped on Tuesday morning due to vegetation overgrowth, which was caused by the landowner’s refusal to allow NGCP to conduct line clearing activities.
BusinessWorld / File

MANILA, Philippines — The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is appealing for community and government support to enforce the Anti-Obstruction of Power Lines or Republic Act (RA) 11361, as northwestern Mindanao remains in the dark because uncooperative landowners prevent the grid operator from restoring transmission facilities.

NGCP said the Agus 5-Aurora 138-kilovolt (kV) line tripped on Tuesday morning due to vegetation overgrowth, which was caused by the landowner’s refusal to allow NGCP to conduct line clearing activities.

The grid operator was only able to re-energize the  line Tuesday evening after the trimming of maliciously planted vegetation which caused the fault at Sitio Taytay, Ditucalan, Iligan City.

NGCP said it invoked the Anti-Obstruction of Power Lines Act to enter the land and trim the illegally planted vegetation under the transmission line’s right-of-way (ROW) corridor.

On Monday, the Baloi-Aurora 138kV line tripped due to the toppling of Tower 60 by the intentional pilferage of tower parts, the grid operator said.

Overgrown vegetation also aggravated the situation as the landowner refused entry to NGCP personnel while demanding an exorbitant amount in payment for the intentionally planted vegetation, the firm said.

NGCP started repair work to restore the transmission line, but completion of repairs is still dependent on the extent of damage on the facility, leaving the region with rotational brownouts.

“Permanent restoration of the toppled tower will be determined upon completion of damage assessment. Manual load droppings continue to be experienced by customers in the northwestern Mindanao area while the line remains unrestored,” NGCP said.

Under RA 11361, it is illegal to construct hazardous improvements, plant vegetation, or perform any activity under the power corridor of transmission lines which may cause power interruptions.

It is also illegal under the law to refuse entry to authorized transmission line personnel to conduct clearing and restoration activities.

Any person found guilty of committing any of the prohibited acts shall be subject to a penalty of imprisonment of six months to 12 years and/or fine ranging from P50,000 up to P200,000, at the discretion of the court.

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