MORE Power gears up for rainy season with final phase of 69-kV lines cleaning

MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) is gearing up to initiate the concluding phase of its extensive cleaning operation on its 69-kilovolt (kV) lines in anticipation of the rainy season.

Engr. Bernard Bailey Del Castillo, Vice President of the Network Development and Operations Group, emphasized that phases 1 and 2, conducted on March 27, 2024 and April 21, 2024, respectively, marked the initial stages of their efforts.

Del Castillo highlighted that the scheduled power interruption on the weekend of May 26, 2024 is in preparation for the anticipated onset of the rainy season as forecasted by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

“The primary objective of initiating the final phase of our cleaning operation is to adequately prepare for the imminent rainy season. The accumulation of dirt on our power lines poses significant challenges, as it can lead to sparks and outages when it rains. Heavy rainfall is required to effectively wash away the accumulated dirt,” explained Del Castillo.

Phases 1 and 2 of the scope of works only covered a portion of 69-kV lines 2 and 5. The lines at the Baldoza junction in La Paz district were not addressed yet due to safety concerns, as both 69-kV lines must be shut off to ensure the safety of personnel working in proximity to live lines overhead.

“We cannot simultaneously interrupt all 69-kV lines due to the expansive working area; hence, we are conducting the process in multiple phases. In addition to facility washing, during the first two phases, we also replaced hundreds of post insulators,” Del Castillo added.

Although the shutdown of the two 69-kV lines initially meant over 80% of the franchise area would be affected by the 11-hour scheduled power interruption on Sunday, May 26, since the lines are interconnected, MORE Power will facilitate load transfer, reducing the impact to only 53% of its consumers.

To alleviate the inconvenience caused by the power interruption, MORE Power will continue its initiatives of providing free cold water and mobile charging to affected areas.

For complete details on the affected areas, please visit MORE Power’s Facebook page./PN