MANILA, Philippines - The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has restored its transmission Tower 34 that collapsed in a fire last April 19 and re-energize its lines in just a week.
Meanwhile, informal settlers living at the foot of the tower where the blaze started are also back.
The government has reportedly allowed the settlers to return to the area they have occupied for 30 years. It is not clear if they will be provided permanent relocation following the incident.
NGCP earlier appealed to local government units and the public to help the firm protect its transmission facilities by respecting the right of way (ROW) and safety clearances. LGUs, particularly barangay officials, are mandated to prohibit informal settlers to occupy areas around transmission towers.
Breaching ROW clearances, according to the NGCP, can cause line tripping and possible grid collapse, thus, the prohibition of building homes and structures so close to, or directly underneath, power lines.
“We are asking those who are living under our transmission facilities to move to a safer location, away from our lines and towers to ensure that delivery of power to communities remains stable and uninterrupted,” NGCP said in its statement after the tower mishap.