TransCo fasttracks pole replacements to prepare against strong typhoons
The Philippine Star 07/24/2006
The National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) is speeding up efforts to replace its wooden transmission line poles with steel poles to increase line reliability and significantly lessen the probability of line outages especially during strong typhoons.
TransCo president Alan T. Ortiz said as of end-June, the company has already erected 1,598 new steel pole replacements.
Of the total, 487 were put up in North Luzon, 370 in South Luzon, 460 in Visayas and 281 in Mindanao.
The steel poles, which measure between 50-65 feet, are made of galvanized material that can withstand drastic weather changes. Aside from being much more durable than wood poles, the galvanized steel poles are also longer by 10 feet, an attribute that adds to the distance or safety clearance between the lines and the ground.
"This makes steel poles much safer than wood poles," the TransCo official said.
According to Ortiz, the second delivery of steel poles totaling 2,800 is expected by August this year.
Ortiz said with the rising prices of the imported wood poles, they now cost almost the same as steel poles. Hence, TransCo is shifting to steel and other metal-based line suspension poles.
"Steel poles are more durable and require less regular inspection and maintenance. TransCo will be having more and more of these steel pole line sections that are more reliable as we continue with the replacement program," he added.
TransCo is planning to put in place almost 60,000 steel poles throughout the country in 10 years.
The state-owned transmission firm started implementing the P600-million steel pole program in 2003 to modernize its electricity transmission assets nationwide.
The replacement of aging wood poles with new steel poles is in line with TransCo’s zero outage program which aims to significantly minimize or prevent outages in areas covered by the transmission firm.
The National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) is speeding up efforts to replace its wooden transmission line poles with steel poles to increase line reliability and significantly lessen the probability of line outages especially during strong typhoons.
TransCo president Alan T. Ortiz said as of end-June, the company has already erected 1,598 new steel pole replacements.
Of the total, 487 were put up in North Luzon, 370 in South Luzon, 460 in Visayas and 281 in Mindanao.
The steel poles, which measure between 50-65 feet, are made of galvanized material that can withstand drastic weather changes. Aside from being much more durable than wood poles, the galvanized steel poles are also longer by 10 feet, an attribute that adds to the distance or safety clearance between the lines and the ground.
"This makes steel poles much safer than wood poles," the TransCo official said.
According to Ortiz, the second delivery of steel poles totaling 2,800 is expected by August this year.
Ortiz said with the rising prices of the imported wood poles, they now cost almost the same as steel poles. Hence, TransCo is shifting to steel and other metal-based line suspension poles.
"Steel poles are more durable and require less regular inspection and maintenance. TransCo will be having more and more of these steel pole line sections that are more reliable as we continue with the replacement program," he added.
TransCo is planning to put in place almost 60,000 steel poles throughout the country in 10 years.
The state-owned transmission firm started implementing the P600-million steel pole program in 2003 to modernize its electricity transmission assets nationwide.
The replacement of aging wood poles with new steel poles is in line with TransCo’s zero outage program which aims to significantly minimize or prevent outages in areas covered by the transmission firm.
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