TranCo replaces wood poles with steel

Davao City (15 July) — Rotten wood poles are gradually being replaced with steel poles on the existing 69-kilovolt (KV) power sub-transmission lines of the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo).

TransCo corporate communications officer of southeastern Mindanao Milfrance Capulong said that TransCo Mindanao assistant vice president Lorrymir S. Adaza disclosed that replacement of poles in Mindanao started late December 2005.

Adaza said the target is to replace 69-kv structures with 244 steel poles all-over Mindanao.

The steel poles are galvanized and measure between 50-65 feet, costing between P51,000 to P57,000 each. More replacements will be made in the coming months when all the December-batch steel pole allocations to each Tranco’s district nationwide would have been installed, Adaza said.

Quoting Adaza, she said the prices of imported wood poles have gone up, almost to the same levels as that of steel poles, hence TransCo is shifting to steel and other iron-based line suspension poles.

“The decision is good considering that steel poles are more durable which require less regular inspection than wood poles and in due time, we will be having more and more reliable line sections as we continue with the replacement program,” she added.

Capulong on the other hand said that TransCo also cannot go full-blast with the program as it will mean numerous and frequent line shutdowns to allow the replacement and will have negative impact on business operations. She said each TransCo district has set limits on the shutdown duration to keep service disruption in the minimum. (PIA/pdbanzon)