No brownouts in Mindanao on Pacquiao-Mayweather fight day

ILIGAN CITY – Mindanao will have a brownout-free day on May 3 to allow its people uninterrupted viewing of the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said.

Eugene Vicar, NGCP head for Mindanao Systems Operations, told the Inquirer by phone on Thursday that the private power distribution company “did not approve any preventive maintenance activity on May 3.”

“There will be no scheduled power interruption so that the people of Mindanao will be able to witness the fight of the century,” Vicar said, adding that company is “in full support of the big event.”

READ: Energy execs told: Make sure no brownout on Pacquiao-Mayweather fight

He said representatives from NGCP, the National Power Corp. (Napocor), electric cooperatives, Independent Power Producers and technical experts even met in Davao City on Thursday for a “table top” simulation activity with workshop.

“This aims to draw-out some strategies and mitigation measures in case of emergency that would affect the generation facilities and transmission lines in Mindanao,” Bicar said.

READ: ‘Turn off appliances so there’s enough electricity for Pacquiao fight’

Lawyer Romer Pacilan, Napocor spokesperson for Mindanao region, said the state-run power firm has not scheduled preventive maintenance at the hydropower plants in Agus in Lanao and Pulangi in Bukidnon on the day of the fight.

He said IPPs also made a similar pledge to allow continuous power on May 3.

In recent weeks, NGCP has said the power situation in Mindanao was worsening with the decreasing water level at the hydropower plants in Lanao and Bukidnon – which account for the bulk of the island’s power supply because of the dry spell being experienced since early this year.

There was also the problem on technical glitches, such as the April 5 island-wide power outage that was experienced up to eight hours in many Mindanao areas.

Other problems included maintenance of power lines, especially in the Lanao areas, because of residents – who deliberately plant trees or construct structures under the power lines that pass through their landholdings.

Cynthia Alabanza, NGCP spokesperson, said the company has been trying to proactively resolve the issue of road right of way with landowners.

“NGCP is proactive in solving ROW issues. We do not want to wait for more trippings and accidents to happen. We are reaching out to LGUs (local government units), specifically the Balo-i local government, and enjoining their help so that we can work together in taking care of the power lines and ensuring the public’s safety,” she said.

Alabanza said “safety clearance violations are detrimental not just to NGCP’s operations but also to public safety.”

“Three things can happen – electrocution, accidents, and line trippings or brownouts – which are all damaging to NGCP, the victims, and ultimately, the electricity consumers. We ask for the public’s cooperation in avoiding tree planting along our lines to help us lessen, if not eliminate, transmission line-related accidents in the future,” she said. IDL

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