Lanao land owner refuses entry of NGCP field men on repair mission

COTABATO CITY- Repair works of a bombed steel tower of theNational Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in Ramain, Lanao del Sur have been halted after landowner where the toppled tower was located prevented entry toNGCP field personnel, the NGCP said in a statement Friday.NGCP said the landowner who it did not identify refused to allow entry of technical people to do repair works, claiming the government failed to pay his right of way claims.On Christmas Eve, NGCP Steel Tower No. 25 in Barangay Gandamatu, Ramain was bombed and toppledby still unidentified suspects which led two government operated power generation facilities to be isolated off the Mindanao grid. The toppling of Tower 25 led to the isolation of government owned generating facilities, namely the Agus 1 andamp 2 Hydro Electric Plants. As a result, 58MW was lost from the grid, aggravating the existing power shortage in Mindanao, NGCP said.Another steel tower was also bombed minutes laterin Carmen, North Cotabato but repair works have been completed three days later.NGCP said the longer the repair works are delayed, chances of aggravating supply deficiency in the grid increases.As of January 1, 2016, the power outlook for Mindanao showed that it has 223 MW reserves.