• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The 44-year-old Bacolod-Silay subtransmission line, inherited by the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) from the National Transmission Corp. in 1980, is up for replacement.
Engr. Leomel Tambanillo, spokesperson of Negros Electric Power Corp. (Negros Power), said on Friday, Nov. 29, that the subtransmission line is extremely outdated and its porcelain insulators, which are often the cause of widespread unscheduled power interruptions, need to be replaced.
Since Negros Power started operations in August, they have noted at least 10 incidents of insulator failures due to the aging and substandard quality of these components, he added.
Tambanillo said that the Bacolod-Silay 69kV subtransmission line passes through sugarcane fields, making response and repair efforts challenging.
The line spans 30 kilometers and carries electricity from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to three substations of Negros Power, including Talisay, Panaogao, and Lopez Substations.
As an immediate solution, Negros Power plans to gradually replace the old and substandard porcelain insulators with polymer insulators, which are stronger compared to porcelain ones, Tambanillo said. | GB
