National Grid Corporation of the Philippines on Wednesday started its repair works on the Aurora-Ozamiz transmission line to the extent of using its Helicopter in transporting galvanized steel poles to replace defective ones along transmission lines traversing difficult terrains inaccessible to land transportation, an NGCP official said.
NGCP MOM Chief Engineer Noel Cabanos Edinower described the work “sling operations”, or the aerial transport of steel poles from the staging area in Barangay La Victoria, Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur to the structures sites in Usugan, Tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur and San Jose, in the same province.
Twenty-one (21) defective wooden poles need to be replaced between Usugan in Tambulig and San Jose in Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur, he said.
The slinging operation marked the start of the repair work along the said line transmitting 69 KVA of electricity from the Substation in Aurora Zamboanga del Sur to Ozamis City and Calamba, Misamis Occidental to be completed this month, he disclosed.
The Staging area in Barangay La Victoria is several kilometers away from the Aurora Substation Warehouse but it was chosen for its flat and wide area that allows easy maneuverability for the Chopper. Moreover, the owner of the land, Aristides Tubiano, was very cooperative, Cabanos said.
It was also nearer that it took only 6 to 7 minutes to sling the poles from the staging area to the installation site and fly back to pick another pole, it was observed.
Captain Israel Ranario, the Head of the NGCP Flight Operations said that security in the area is not a problem.
“The sling operation itself is hard but with the help of the ground personnel and linemen our work in the air became easier; like the preparation in the ground security, preparation of the steel posts and the fuel requirements. The weather condition today is also cooperating. The only risk we have is the actual haul,” he said.
According to Cabanos, the galvanized steel poles weigh around 500 kilograms; the top portion weighs 231 kilograms while the bottom portion is 268 kilograms.
The top and the bottom portion were transported separately, it was observed.
For the said project, 55-foot poles were used, Cabanos said. (pr)
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