NGCP to replace trees cut in Luzon transmission line proj

By Freddie G. Lazaro

VIGAN CITY -- The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) will undertake a three-year reforestation program inside the Northern Luzon Heroes Hill National Park to compensate for the trees that will be cut during the construction of new transmission line in the protected area.

Cynthia P. Alabanza, NGCP spokesperson, said the Heroes Hill park, which is a protected area located in Santa, Ilocos Sur, will be affected by the construction of a new 230 kilovolt (kV) line from San Esteban, Ilocos Sur to Laoag, Ilocos Norte.

 “The double circuit line will transmit the electricity generated from the wind power plants in Ilocos Sur to the rest of the region,” she said.

Alabanza said the construction of the transmission line is in compliance with the N- 1 contingency of NGCP, which ensures the transmission system will still operate at a normal level despite the loss or malfunction of one of its major components.

 “In constructing the San Esteban – Laoag 230 kV line, six towers traversing a distance of more than two kilometers will be built inside the national park,” she said.

She said the NGCP, the country’s electric transmission system operator, committed to fund a three - year reforestation program to compensate for the trees that will be cut for the construction of the transmission line.

“At least 100 trees seedlings will be planted for every tree cut,” she said.

“NGCP is committed to its advocacy of taking care of the environment. In fact, we already entered into an agreement like this with DENR for our Colon - Cebu transmission project to preserve the Central Cebu Protected Landscape in the Visayas. It is a must for NGCP to comply with environmental laws and DENR’s guidelines before we push through with our projects,” she said.

She said the NGCP, a privately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid, transmits high voltage electricity through “power superhighways” that include the interconnected system of transmission lines.

The Heroes Hill is a 1,300-hectare Park in Sitio Pideg, Barangay Magsaysay, Santa, Ilocos Sur, which features a Molave forest and a 25-foot waterfall and is a famous spot for local and tourist mountaineers and trekkers. The park was declared a protected area by Proclamation No. 132 in 1963.