The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said it is ramping up construction activities at all vital transmission projects which were affected by quarantine restrictions imposed because of the pandemic.
NGCP admitted the new coronavirus disease 2019 will impact the timelines of its projects.
“Project schedules are continually reassessed as varying degrees of community quarantine remain in effect. The time lost is not a simple 1 is to 1 conversion. Even today, with the limitations on travel and manpower restricted to 50 percent of the workplace capacity, construction activities have not resumed to 100 percent of their pre-quarantine pace,” it said in a statement.
NGCP said completion time of projects could take double to up to quadruple the time pre-COVID due to health and safety considerations.
NGCP said while its activities are classified essential services, it continues to encounter issues including testing and quarantine variations among local government units, contractor and supplier delivery problems, inability of foreign experts to conduct necessary inspections due to travel clearance requirements, slowdown of manufacturing of equipment and materials from other COVID-19 affected countries, among other limitations.
Among its key transmission projects are the Mindanao-Visayas interconnection project, the Western Luzon backbone project and the San Jose-Quezon 230 kiloVolt Line 3 project. – J. Macapagal
