| Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak Transmission Line (First Transmission Line on Expressway Right-of-Way or Alignment) | |
|---|---|
 Steel pole 227 (FDA-227) (of anchor or flag design) located near San Simon Exit of North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). | |
| Location | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Province | Bataan Pampanga Bulacan Metro Manila |
| Coordinates | 14°51′57″N 120°29′38″E / 14.86583°N 120.49389°E 14°47′14″N 120°57′10″E / 14.78722°N 120.95278°E 14°39′38″N 121°0′44″E / 14.66056°N 121.01222°E |
| From | Hermosa Substation |
| Passes through | NLEX San Simon–Pulilan segment, Pampanga River, and Candaba Viaduct[lower-alpha 1] Meralco Duhat Substation Harbor Link Interchange |
| To | Balintawak Substation |
| Ownership information | |
| Owner | see Ownership, operations, and maintenance information and #Notes |
| Operator | see Ownership, operations, and maintenance information and #Notes |
| Construction information | |
| Cable layer | TASCR/AS |
| Contractors | Herrera Engineering Corporation (HEC) |
| Construction started | September 1993 |
| Commissioned | June 1994 |
| Technical information | |
| Type | Overhead transmission line |
| Type of current | HVAC |
| Total length | 87.54 km (54.39 mi) |
| No. of transmission towers | 506 (483 steel poles, 13 lattice towers, 9 portal towers, and 1 concrete pole) |
| Power rating | 235–500 MVA |
| AC voltage | 230 kV |
| No. of poles | 484 (483 steel poles and 1 concrete pole) |
| No. of circuits | 1 |
The Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak Transmission Line (abbreviated as HB, RHB,[lower-alpha 2] 8LI1DUH-HER,[lower-alpha 3] 8LI1QUE-DUH,[lower-alpha 4], HDBTL, HDB, HD, and DB[lower-alpha 5], most pronounced in English: Hēr-mōsa(ā)–Dühāt–Bā(a)lintâwak), is a 230,000 volt, single-circuit, two-part transmission line in Central Luzon and Metro Manila, Philippines that connects Hermosa and Balintawak substations of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), with line segment termination at Manila Electric Company (Meralco) Duhat substation in Duhat, Bocaue, Bulacan.
History
In September 1993, the right-of-way (ROW), alignment, or route for the transmission line, and lands where the structures will be located have successfully acquired, designated, and confirmed by National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR/NPC). The construction and the groundbreaking ceremony held on the said month and clearing vegetations with permission from the local government units (LGUs) of Hermosa, Lubao, Guagua, Bacolor, and San Fernando to pass the Jose Abad Santos Avenue (JASA). The acquisition and designation of right-of-way and lands or locations of the structures are followed by steel pole, lattice tower, and portal tower placing on the back and stringing (example: 6 km vegetation cleared, 4 km of transmission structures were placed, 2 km of lines were stringed). The construction of the line continues until North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) San Fernando Exit in October 1993. From NLEX San Fernando to San Simon, some blank steel poles (where reference numbers and danger signs not being placed yet) were placed with the stringing pulley, with some of them placed their insulators. After San Simon Exit, clearing were made with permission from San Simon, Apalit, Calumpit, and Pulilan LGUs to pass MacArthur Highway and Pulilan Regional Road which was then the alignment of the line's San Simon–Pulilan section from June 1994 to June 2011. From Pulilan Exit to Valenzuela, the same procedure were made as San Fernando to San Simon section of NLEX. Clearing were then made from Valenzuela to Balintawak for steel poles 496, 500-512 and 515, and lattice towers 497-499, 512-514 with permission from Valenzuela and Quezon City LGUs. In February 1994, the transmission line's last pole 515 (anchor flag design) in Balintawak Substation was erected and connected to the said substation, and the line energized four months later in June 1994.[1][2]
The line was constructed by NAPOCOR/NPC to enable power plants from Bataan to supply power, evacuate power generated from the Subic and Bataan regions to Metro Manila, avoid line overloading of the grid supplying bulk demand in the metropolitan area, and address the Luzon power crisis from 1991 to 1993. It is the first transmission line in the Philippines to use an expressway right-of-way or alignment (NLEX from San Fernando Exit to Harbor Link Interchange; coincidentally the expressway is the first in the country existing since 1968 25 and 26 years before the transmission project started where the available or acquired and designated lands or locations for the steel poles, lattice towers and portal towers, and right-of-way (ROW) or alignment were ready and the power line became operational, respectively) before the other transmission lines such as the Sucat–Paco–Araneta–Balintawak (1996–2000), Dasmariñas–Las Piñas (1998–1999), Bay–Biñan (2002–2009), and Concepcion–Clark (2007–2008) lines which run along Metro Manila Skyway, Manila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), and Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), respectively.
NAPOCOR relocated its Santa Barbara Bridge–Villa del Sol segment through the Lahar-Affected Transmission Line Relocation project, using 30 replacement steel poles. The project was made from 2001 until the project was completed in April 2003 when National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) is now the operator and owner of the transmission line.[3]
In 2007, 3 steel poles were relocated due to the construction of Dulalia Overpass using 2 existing steel poles (473 and 475) and 1 replacement steel pole (474). NAPOCOR-era steel pole 474 which is a suspension tower and has triangle tower design, however, was later used as one of the poles of a bipole tower of Mexico–Hermosa Transmission Line.
The Hermosa–Balintawak Transmission Line Relocation project involved the relocation of its San Simon–Pulilan segment along North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). The project started on February 18, 2008 when TransCo operated and maintained the power line. TransCo acquired and designated the lands and 2 rights-of-way or portions for 4 lattice towers (255, 256, 266, and 267). Lattice towers 266 and 267 were originally NAPOCOR/NPC-era towers 264 and 265 although they still retained as TransCo-owned and operated and maintained by NGCP as the original reference numbers are also the numbers on the TransCo plan of the project, part of the project's original right of way or alignment and component (with original component is 36 replacement steel poles at the remaining portion and 18 lattice towers along Candaba Viaduct totaling to 54 structures while the ROW is where the lands or original locations for the towers along the viaduct and poles on the remaining portions are located), and located on an exact location of lands designated and acquired by TransCo. Steel poles 227 and 314 (anchor) were originally facing backwards until 2011. Since 2011, poles 227 and 314 are now facing forward or at NLEX but still retain their original NAPOCOR/NPC-acquired and designated lands where they are located and same structure (without changing into an entirely new reference number and not ignoring the original number of a structure, and still counting its current number) when they were first erected.
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The transmission line's operations and maintenance was turned over from TransCo to NGCP on January 15, 2009. On late 2009 few months after NGCP's takeover from TransCo, NGCP designated and acquired lands and 3 portions or ROWs for the 58 steel poles (228–254, 257–265, 268–289; consisting of 43 replacement and 15 NAPOCOR/NPC-era or secondhand poles), still part of Hermosa–Balintawak Transmission Line Relocation project but now under the NGCP plan of the relocation project, where their foundations or pedestals were built. The 15 NAPOCOR/NPC-era steel poles were supposed to be retired under the original TransCo plan of the project, but NGCP used them with new reference numbers (228, 229, 233-236, 239, 240, 243, 247, 254, 276, 281, 284, and 289) (FDA-228, 229, 233-236, 239, 240, 243, 247, 254, 276, 281, 284, 289)) and ignoring the original one, and changed their title or ownership to NGCP instead of retiring making the 15 poles with new numbers now owned, operated and maintained by it.
The cut-in connection to Meralco Duhat substation was constructed to avoid line overloading and maintain N-1 criterion. It was completed on November 16, 2009.
During its services and maintenance areas of NGCP, all steel poles and lattice towers had reference tag (except for some poles and towers of Hermosa–Duhat segment and steel pole 1 of San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 (8LI3SJO-QUE)001) (made out of durable reflective plastic or sticker version) and glued into pole's or tower's base. The reference tags were labeled from (8LI1QUE-DUH)091 to (8LI1QUE-DUH)001 (Duhat–Balintawak segment of Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak).
On late March 2010, the erection of structures for the relocated San Simon–Pulilan segment of the line was started. From July to August 2010, 3 replacement and taller steel poles (381–383) were used due to the construction of Balagtas Interchange with NAPOCOR-era steel poles 381 and 382 which are both anchor towers and have flag tower design were reused as part of Hermosa–Malolos–San Jose line while pole 383 (of suspension tower or flag design) was retired. The removal process of 84 NAPOCOR-era steel poles (228–263, 266–313) and 2 lattice towers (264 and 265) totalling to 86 structures as well as the retirement of 70 out of 84 steel poles (230, 232–258, 262, 263, 268–270, 272–274, 277–282, 284–300, 303–313) of the original alignment of the line's San Simon–Pulilan segment as part of Hermosa–Balintawak Transmission Line Relocation project and relocation of San Fernando segment of the line due to the presence of its electric poles standing on the highway itself, and to pave the way for the expansion of some segments of the avenue particularly at Barangay Dolores were then started on December 2010 upon retiring steel pole 167 and replacing it with NAPOCOR-era pole 275 that was originally located along MacArthur Highway in Calumpit, Bulacan. After relocating pole 167 and retiring its original version, the relocation project along San Fernando section of the line was halted because there is a right of way (ROW) or alignment constraints with the project only resumed 8 years later in 2018 when the foundations or pedestals for relocated steel poles 163-166 were constructed.[4][5]
Relocated San Simon–Pulilan segment of the line was completed on March 25, 2011, and the Hermosa–Balintawak Transmission Line Relocation project overall on June 2011 when there are no more structures left on the power line segment's original alignment. Some poles were later used as bipole towers of Mexico–Hermosa and Hermosa–Limay transmission lines while others were used on various NGCP substations (i.e. Laoag Substation) and steel pole 275 is now used as pole 167 along Jose Abad Santos Avenue in San Fernando, Pampanga since December 2010 and the original 167 was retired.[6][7][8]
Throughout its existence, several steel poles and lattice towers were painted with aluminum paint (with red paint is the first to be placed) to protect them from corrosion and extend their service lifespan, with painting of steel poles with aluminum were made from 2015 to 2021 as part of NGCP's maintenance on the transmission line.
Route description
The Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak Transmission Line passes through the cities of San Fernando in Pampanga, Malolos and Meycauayan in Bulacan, and Valenzuela, Caloocan and Quezon City in Metro Manila, and municipalities of Hermosa in Bataan, Lubao, Guagua, Bacolor, Santo Tomas, San Simon and Apalit in Pampanga, and Calumpit, Pulilan, Plaridel, Guiguinto, Balagtas, Bocaue and Marilao in Bulacan. It is located within the service area of NGCP's North Luzon Operations and Maintenance (NLOM) Districts 5 (West Central Plain), 6 (South Central Plain), and 7 (National Capital Region).[9]
Since November 16, 2009 with the completion of the line's cut-in connection to Meralco Duhat Substation, the span is divided into three parts: the North Span, Central Span (Duhat Substation) and the South Span. In Central Span, the span is centered by Duhat Substation while North Span and the South Span centers NGCP Hermosa and Balintawak substations.
Hermosa–Duhat (North Span)
The transmission line starts at Hermosa Substation and run parallel with Jose Abad Santos Avenue until San Fernando Exit of North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). It enters Pampanga upon passing the Bataan–Pampanga welcome arch and continues straightforward. While running parallel with the said avenue, it intersects with Hermosa–Guagua in Lubao, Mexico–Hermosa in Lubao, Guagua, Bacolor and San Fernando, and Hermosa–Malolos–San Jose lines in Guagua. It then utilize the eastern side of the avenue upon approaching Santa Barbara Bridge, with steel pole RHB-01 serving as start of the line's relocated Guagua–San Fernando segment.
It passes through the lahar-filled Bacolor and enters San Fernando upon passing the city's welcome arch. The line again utilizes the western side of the avenue after Villa del Sol in Magliman, San Fernando, with 159 (FDA-159) serving as boundary between relocated Guagua–San Fernando and a portion existing since the start of transmission line's operations in 1994. It crosses into Lazatin Boulevard upon passing Lazatin Flyover and passes through residential areas and establishments located within San Fernando. The power line then crosses into MacArthur Highway upon passing Dolores Flyover Steel (where steel pole 167 (FDA-167; using NAPOCOR-era steel pole 275 and of anchor or flag design since December 2010 that was originally located along MacArthur Highway in Calumpit, Bulacan is located where the pole was relocated at the side of the road because it posed a safety hazard which started the relocation of the line's San Fernando section and removal of transmission structures along the original alignment of its San Simon–Pulilan segment as part of Hermosa–Balintawak Transmission Line relocation project) and continues on a straight direction until San Fernando Exit.
The line enters the western side of NLEX via San Fernando Exit and runs parallel into it until Harbor Link Interchange. After entering NLEX, it intersects with Mexico–Hermosa line for a fifth and final time. It continues on a straight route, intersecting with Mexico–Balintawak and Mexico–Calumpit lines in Santo Tomas, and passes through San Simon Exit (where the line left the NLEX alignment until all the steel poles of original alignment of San Simon–Pulilan section of the line were removed in June 2011). Within the exit is steel pole 227 (8LI1DUH-HER)182 (FDA-227)) serving as the starting point of relocated San Simon–Pulilan segment since March 2011.[lower-alpha 6]
It continues to parallel NLEX and upon approaching Tulaoc overpass a few kilometers after San Simon exit, the power line zig-zags where it passes through residential areas within San Simon instead of directly along NLEX to bypass the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) right-of-way and lands or locations for poles 233 and 234 (233 and 234 under TransCo plan of the relocation project are located between National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP)-acquired and designated poles 233 and 234, and 234 and 235 (FDA-233-235), respectively) as the ROWs or portions of relocated San Simon–Pulilan segment of the line that use steel poles and lands where they are located (228–254, 257–265, 268–289 (FDA-228–FDA-254, FDS-257–FDA-265, FDS-268–FDA-289)) were designated and acquired by NGCP thus they are owned, operated, and maintained by it. Between the said overpass and while the line zig-zags is steel pole 234 ((8LI1DUH-HER)175 (FDA-234)); originally as National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR/NPC)-era pole 228) before returning to use the NLEX right-of-way after the overpass where the line continues on a straight direction.
The line then runs parallel with Candaba Viaduct where it crosses Pampanga River and Apalit Bypass Road, and passes through rice paddies and swampland in Apalit, Calumpit, and Pulilan. Upon crossing Pampanga River is the first TransCo-owned right of way or portion and lands where the structures stand consisting of lattice towers 255 and 256 (8LI1DUH-HER)153) and (8LI1DUH-HER)154 (LTD-255, LTD-256)) before moving to the second NGCP-owned ROW and lands that consists of poles 257-265 (8LI1DUH-HER)144-152 (FDS-257–FDA-265)). After pole 265 is the second and final portion or ROW and lands owned by TransCo which consists of towers 266 and 267 ((8LI1DUH-HER)142) and (8LI1DUH-HER)144); originally NAPOCOR/NPC-era and TransCo-designated towers 264 and 265) where the line zig-zags again and after tower 267 is the third and final NGCP-owned lands and portion consisting of poles 268-289 (8LI1DUH-HER)120-143 (FDS-268–FDA-289)). It enters Bulacan after passing the former location of a billboard located near steel pole 271 (8LI1DUH-HER)138). A few meters after exiting Pampanga and entering Bulacan, the line intersects with Hermosa–San Jose 500,000 volt transmission line, with a lattice tower of the said power line is located near steel pole 273 (8LI1DUH-HER)136 (FDS-273)). After Candaba Viaduct, the line turns westward, continues straight, and zig-zags to bypass the location of steel pole 281 under TransCo plan of the relocation project while passing Pulilan Exit (where it reentered the NLEX alignment from June 1994 to June 2011), with pole 289 (8LI1DUH-HER)120 (FDA-289)); originally NAPOCOR/NPC-era pole 283) is located near the exit's toll booth. After pole 289 is 314 (8LI1DUH-HER)119 (FDA-314)) serving as the terminus of the line's relocated San Simon–Pulilan segment, and boundary between the said power line segment and portion of a line existing since 1994.
After Pulilan Exit, the line continues straightforward, intersects with Hermosa–Malolos–San Jose in Plaridel and Mexico–Balintawak lines in Guiguinto for the second time, passes into Balagtas Interchange, Bigaa and Santa Maria Rivers, Bocaue Exit, Bocaue Toll Plaza, and Ciudad de Victoria Interchange. It turns left into Meralco Duhat Substation a few meters after passing Ciudad de Victoria interchange, where the line's Hermosa–Duhat section ends.
Duhat–Balintawak (South Span)
The line turns left upon entering NLEX, continues on a straight direction, and enters Metro Manila after steel pole 465 (8LI1QUE-DUH)051 (TDS-465)). It then utilizes the eastern side of NLEX after steel pole 488 (8LI1QUE-DUH)032 (FDA-488)). The Meralco 115 kV lines are near the right-of-way (ROW) or alignment of the transmission line underneath of the transmission line from steel poles 489 to 491 (8LI1QUE-DUH)028-030 (FDA-488–FDA-491)) and the structures use flag, asymmetrical, and triangle pole designs. It continues on a straight direction, turn left and leaves the expressway at Harbor Link Interchange. After leaving NLEX, it passes through residential areas, establishments, and institutions located within Caloocan and Quezon City, crosses into Quirino Highway, and enters Balintawak Substation.
Inside Balintawak Substation is the transmission line's last steel pole and structure which is pole 515 (8LI1QUE-DUH)001 (FDA-515)) and after it, the line connects to San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 through its steel pole 1 (8LI3SJO-QUE)001 (AAPD (SJO-QUE)-1)) where the lower insulators belong to the said power line while the upper additional asymmetrical anchor insulators attached on an asymmetrical steel crossarms with arrangement or design similar to some poles of a 69,000 volt power line are used to support the Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak line itself which is overbuilt on the said pole since 2020 before the latter ends at a portal tower of a substation mentioned before.
Technical description
The transmission line is a single-circuit, double-bundle power line and the contractor for its construction is Herrera Engineering Corporation (HEC). The electrical current runs east from Hermosa Substation to North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) San Fernando Exit while running parallel to Jose Abad Santos Avenue then south upon paralleling NLEX in San Fernando to Balintawak Substation because the Bataan Combined Cycle Power Plant (BCCPP)–Hermosa transmission line connects to Hermosa substation, making the power line second of five lines forming the transmission network from BCCPP in Limay, Bataan to Calaca Power Plant in Calaca, Batangas and six to Mak–Ban Geothermal Power Plant in Santo Tomas also in Batangas and Bay in Laguna. It survived the 6.1 magnitude earthquake in April 22, 2019. Because of this, the transmission line foundation have good geological properties and even strength.[10]
The line is able to withstand natural disasters such as Typhoon Milenyo, Tropical Storm Ondoy, and Super Typhoons Yolanda and Odette. This is because the steel pole and lattice tower's foundation or pedestal has reinforcement bars and reinforced concrete (with rocks in a concrete).
Steel poles can have flag (suspension and anchor variants) and triangle tower designs. Lattice towers, however, have incomplete tower design. Asymmetrical poles are also used in the form of suspension and anchor variants, with suspension variants are used on a cement pole that is used on the line's intersection with Hermosa–Guagua 69kV line where the Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak line has connection to and overbuilt to it, and poles 423 and 424 (originally had a triangular design and changed to asymmetrical due to the construction of Ciudad de Victoria Interchange) while the anchor variant is only used on steel pole 1 of San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 where the line has overbuilt and connection to on the said pole since 2020, and located between pole 515 of the latter and a portal tower of Balintawak Substation where both power lines end. Portal towers are used on portions of the line where it intersects with another power line. Each steel poles, lattice towers, and portal towers have three insulators.
The spacers are crucial part of any power transmission lines. They help to maintain bundle spacing and prevents from arcing each other, which can cause power outages. The placing of spacers was carried from the bucket truck or spacer cart (a cart is used on EHV transmission lines and UHV transmission lines and used as spacer placing). In case of Hermosa-Duhat-Balintawak transmission line, the method is to using bucket trucks of NAPOCOR/NPC (later TransCo from March 1, 2003 to January 15, 2009 and NGCP since January 15, 2009). During its final stringing of conductors, the spacer placing took place. There are 300 bucket trucks per line span. If there was a broken spacer (like snapping), it will replaced with the new spacer damper or rigid double bundle spacer. The transmission line uses rigid spacers, flexible spacers (used on the line's cut-in connection to Meralco Duhat substation), and weighted dampers (used since August 2010 with the relocation of the line's Balagtas section due to the construction of Balagtas Interchange), where typhoons, tropical storms, rains, and earthquakes dislocate those spacers. NGCP has preventative maintenance for the transmission line and relocate the spacers.
The steel poles are made of galvanized steel and they have a height of 30-86m tall. It is installed on base or foundation of the steel pole (pedestal). The installation or erection and re-erection (for secondhand structures now being used with a new function or purpose and ignoring the older or original one as part of or in compliance with the plan of a particular transmission project associated with the power line whether that part of a project's plan was planned by NAPOCOR/NPC, TransCo, and NGCP) of each structures or facilities which are steel poles, lattice towers, and portal towers from pedestal or foundation to top segment can take 1-2 days, while the completion of a right-of-way (ROW) or portion of a transmission line which involves structures are all installed or placed on lands already acquired and designated where they are located on that ROW depends on the power line portion's amount of structures, length, and how long do the structures or components part of that ROW arrive or be delivered which can range from days to years. First, on a land where the steel pole will be located, the precast concrete foundation laid underground and a cement is added to create the pole's pedestal. Second, the pedestal laid ground, then backfill up some of remaining holes between the gap. Third, the poles were laid in three to six segments, the butt segment (the lowermost), mid segment which are between the butt and top segments, and the top segment. The second to the last segment to the top and the top segment are where the insulators are placed and a steel crossarm is placed for a top segment of suspension steel poles with flag design. Fourth, the insulators were attached. While all steel poles have square pile or pedestal when the line was first commissioned, some poles and lattice towers of the relocated segments of the line use circular piles.
Lattice and portal towers are also erected by segments and made of steel like steel poles. Lattice towers have four pedestals forming on a square shape, erected by segments and the top segment has crossarms, and portal towers have eight pedestals and on its top segment is a horizontal lattice crossarm between the two vertical lattice structures. The insulators are placed on crossarms of the lattice tower's top segment and horizontal lattice crossarm of a portal tower.
The name of the structures' design are: Ben (flag anchor steel pole), Alyssa (triangular suspension steel pole), Cabadbaran (flag suspension steel pole), Klutz (flag bald steel pole which was introduced by TransCo in 2007), Bodong (cement asymmetrical pole), and Lexi (lattice tower). The transmission line is codenamed as Heaven-01 (refer to NGCP for more). The abbreviation of these design is: FD (flag design), TD (triangular design), BPD (bald pole design), APD (anchor pole design), AAPD (asymmetrical anchor pole design used only on steel pole 1 of San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 where the Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak transmission has connection or overbuilt to on the pole's upper segment with this variant of asymmetrical steel pole design was introduced by NGCP in 2020 as part of the construction of the former), LTD (lattice tower design) and PTD (portal tower design).
The insulators (braced line post insulators, dead end insulators, and horizontal insulator) and structures (steel poles, lattice towers, and portal towers) were manufactured and imported from China for their use by NAPOCOR/NPC, TransCo, and NGCP. All of these insulators are made of porcelain.
The highest elevation segment is the line's connection to Meralco Duhat Substation and relocated San Fernando segment where some of the steel poles are 74-86m tall and they use anchor flag design poles.
North Span has 401 steel poles, 9 portal towers, 5 lattice towers and 1 cement pole, and South Span has 91 steel poles (90 on the Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak line itself and 1 taller steel pole of San Jose del Monte–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 (8LI3SJO-QUE)001) where the former has overbuilt or connection to since 2020 through an additional asymmetrical insulators at the pole's top segment) and 6 lattice towers. With 483 steel poles on the former (484 if including steel pole 1 of the latter), the transmission line have the most number and longest to use steel poles in the Philippines due to most right-of-way (ROW), alignment, or portions of the line run roadside (Jose Abad Santos Avenue, North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), and formerly MacArthur Highway and Pulilan Regional Road from June 1994 to June 2011) and an area is able to use poles, with lattice towers are only used if a terrain or area is not fit to use poles there and portal towers on some intersections with other power lines.
Storage space for structures retired from original use and ownership
The National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR/NPC)-era transmission structures that were retired from original use and ownership because of various projects made by NAPOCOR, National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on the line were stored in Hermosa, Duhat, and Balintawak substations or other substations for those unused for a while, and some used on other transmission lines and relocated segments of the power line with changed or new structure reference number and ownership or title, such as the 15 NAPOCOR-era steel poles originally used on an original alignment of the line's San Simon–Pulilan segment were now included in the NGCP plan or component of Hermosa–Balintawak Transmission Line Relocation project where they are now reference numbers 228, 229, 233–236, 239, 240, 243, 247, 254, 276, 281, 284, and 289 thus they are now owned, operated, and maintained by NGCP. Most people know that the unused retired structures are stored in a structure's graveyard but it is not. They are stored in various substations for future other uses with their new ownership.
Height of the structures
Steel poles have 30-70m tall (including steel pole 1 of San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 (8LI3SJO-QUE)001). Triangular design pole height is 30-40m tall, flag design is also the same height and lattice towers have 45.21m tall. Tall anchor poles height is 40-86m tall and it is used on some portions of the line, with the tallest are one of the steel poles used on a line's cut-in connection to Meralco Duhat substation. Lattice towers have 70m and portal towers are 10-14m tall. Bald steel pole 474, on the other hand, doesn't have height nameplate but it is a 700kg pole.
| Pole design | Height | Diameter | Volts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flag (anchor) | 30-86m | 230 kV | |
| Triangular and flag (suspension) | 30-40m | 230 kV | |
| Asymmetrical pole (anchor and suspension) | 70m (steel pole 1 (8LI3SJO-QUE)001) of San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3), 40m (steel poles 423 and 424), and 29m (concrete pole 58A) | 230 kV | |
| Lattice towers (incomplete) | 70m | 230 kV | |
| Portal towers (anchor) | 10-14m | 230 kV |
| Segment | Current | Volts | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hermosa–Duhat (other segments) | 235-500MVA | 230,000 | East and South |
| Duhat–Balintawak | |||
| Relocated Guagua–San Fernando | |||
| Relocated San Fernando | |||
| Relocated San Simon–Pulilan | |||
| Balagtas | |||
| Bundle type and segment | Spacers | Amps | Broken spacers |
|---|---|---|---|
| double bundle (Hermosa–Duhat; other segments) | 500 + | 120-521 milliamps | 100 + |
| double bundle (Duhat–Balintawak) | 300 + | 30 + | |
| double bundle (Relocated Guagua–San Fernando) | 300 + | 0 | |
| double bundle (Relocated San Fernando) | 300 + | 0 | |
| double bundle (Relocated San Simon–Pulilan) | 300 + | 0 | |
| double bundle (Balagtas; taller steel poles and newer pedestal over existing structure due to the construction of Balagtas Interchange) | 35 | 0 | |
| Segment | Span | Number of structures | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hermosa–Duhat (other segments) | North Span | 301 (288 steel poles, 9 portal towers, 3 lattice towers, 1 cement pole where the Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak line has connection to and overbuilt on it and to support the Hermosa–Guagua 69 kV line) | 50.42 km |
| Duhat–Balintawak | South Span | 94 (88 steel poles and 6 lattice towers) + connection or overbuilt to San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 through its steel pole 1 between pole 515 of Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak line itself since 2020 and a portal tower inside Balintawak Substation where the latter ends | 15.94 km |
| Relocated Guagua–San Fernando segment | North Span | 30 steel poles (RHB 1-30) | 5.55 km |
| Relocated San Fernando segment | 12 steel poles | 3.25 km | |
| Relocated San Simon–Pulilan segment | 62 (58 steel poles (228–254, 257–265, 268–289), 4 lattice towers (255, 256, 266, 267) (45 replacement, 17 second-hand structures) |
11.41 km | |
| Balagtas segment (taller steel poles and newer pedestal over existing structure due to the construction of Balagtas Interchange) | 4 steel poles (381–384) (3 replacement, 1 existing) |
565.07 m | |
| Province | Number of structures |
|---|---|
| Bataan | 4 (4 steel poles (1–4 (FDA-1–TDS-4)) |
| Pampanga | 271 (257 steel poles (5–55, 58–98, 100–125, RHB-01–RHB-30, 159–254, 257–265, 268–271 (TDS-5–FDA-55, FDA-58–98, FDA-100–FDS-125, FDA-RHB-01–RHB-30, FDA-159–254, FDS-257–FDA-265, FDS-268–FDA-271)), 7 lattice towers (LDT-56, 57, 99, 255, 256, 266, and 267), 6 portal towers, and 1 concrete pole (58A) |
| Bulacan | 181 (178 steel poles (272–289, 314–429, 8 steel poles used on the transmission line's cut-in connection to Duhat Substation, 430–465 (FDS-272–FDA-289, FDA-314–429, TDS-430–465) and 3 portal towers) |
| Metro Manila | 50 (44 steel poles (466–496, 500–511, 515 (TDS-466–FDA-496, FDA-500–511, FDA-515)) and 6 lattice towers (LDT-497–499, 512–514)) + 1 steel pole belonging to San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 (8LI3SJO-QUE)001 (AAPD (SJO-QUE)-1) located between pole 515 and a portal tower inside Balintawak Substation serving as overbuilt and connection of Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak to the former since 2020 as the two lines intersect and cross with each other |
| Type of steel pole or lattice tower | Weight | Insulator |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension steel pole (triangle and asymmetrical) | 7+ tons | 3 braced line post insulators made of 15 porcelain discs placed in triangular position. Asymmetrical variant only used on steel poles 423 and 424 due to the construction of Ciudad de Victoria Interchange (originally had a triangle tower design) where they have guy wires to add stability which are anchored to a smaller steel pole (424) and on a ricefield (423). The support of overhead ground wire (OHGW) is the steel point on top and attached by clamp. Backwards or reverse facing triangle suspension steel pole was also used along the original alignment of the line's San Simon–Pulilan segment from June 1994 to 2011 only on National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR/NPC)-era poles 249-252 (later used as one of the poles of some bipole towers of Mexico–Hermosa Transmission Line) located at MacArthur Highway in Apalit, Pampanga. |
| Suspension steel pole (flag) | 3 braced line post insulators made of 15 porcelain discs facing in one direction and forming the pole a flag shape, and a steel crossarm used to support the overhead ground wire (OHGW) at the steel pole's top segment (except pole 122 as of 2003 where due to the relocated segment of Hermosa–Malolos–San Jose transmission line, a steel crossarm was removed and replaced with an insulator serving as overbuilt or connection of the said line to the Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak line). The suspension steel poles of flag design are hunchbacked or bent meaning that the pole has added stability. | |
| Bald steel pole (flag) | Similar to suspension steel pole (flag variant), but without a steel crossarm at the pole's top segment. Some poles now used as bipole towers of Mexico–Hermosa and Hermosa–Limay transmission line that were originally used on Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak line are also bald steel poles (higher placement of insulators if originally used as a flag suspension steel pole with steel crossarm and lower if as a triangle suspension pole). It is used on steel pole 474 near Dulalia Overpass, where the pole was bald because lack of crossarm. Steel pole 474 originally had triangular design since 1994, it was replaced with a bald pole having flag design by National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) in 2007 due to construction of Dulalia Overpass and there is a lack of earth wire or steel crossarm while the others (flag design) have OHGW crossarms on top. | |
| Anchor steel pole (flag and asymmetrical) | Horizontal dead-end insulators made of 15 porcelain discs with 3 horizontal pole-mounted porcelain insulator at the center. Asymmetrical variant is only used on steel pole 1 of San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 where the Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak itself has a connection to and overbuilt on the pole's upper part since 2020 where it has 3 horizontal dead-end insulators made of 17 porcelain discs attached on an asymmetrical steel crossarms and 2 vertical porcelain insulators at the lower crossarm (arrangement or design similar to some poles of a 69,000 volt power line). When viewed sidewards for the flag variant of the anchor steel pole, the horizontal pole-mounted porcelain insulators resemble the letter "E" while its front side looks like a three-leveled lowercase letter "T" or a cross and similar with flag suspension steel poles, anchor flag poles also face in one direction. | |
| Cement pole (asymmetrical) and steel poles 381–384 (anchor steel pole (flag)) | Have polymer composite insulator deadend than most other poles. The former is where the Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak itself has a connection to and overbuilt on a cement pole to support the Hermosa–Guagua 69kV line. | |
| Mix and match | The mix and match variant (suspension and anchor steel pole with flag design) consisted of 3 braced post insulators and dead-end horizontal insulators made of 15 discs, 3 horizontal pole-mounted porcelain insulator at the center, and a steel crossarm used to support the overhead ground wire (OHGW) at the top segment, was only used on NAPOCOR/NPC-era steel pole 233 from 1994 to 2011 before the relocation of the power line's San Simon–Pulilan segment. | |
| Suspension lattice towers | no calculation | 3 vertical insulators consisting of 15 porcelain discs. |
| Anchor lattice towers | 3 dead-end horizontal insulators with porcelain discs ranging from 15 to 16 discs and 3 vertical porcelain insulator. Some lattice towers can only have dead-end horizontal insulators and without the vertical insulators. | |
| Portal towers | Same as anchor lattice towers. | |
| Date | Transmission line details |
|---|---|
| June 1994–October 1995 | Power line originally had 504 steel poles (1–55, 58–98, 100–263, 266–496, 500–511, and 515 (FDA-1–55, 58–98, 100–263, 266–496, 500-511, 515)), 11 lattice towers (LDT-56, 57, 99, 264, 265, 497–499, and 512–514), and 12 portal towers totaling to 527 structures. |
| June 1994–November 16, 2009 | Direct tap connection, one part power line, and had a length of 91 km (57 mi). Also, steel pole 429 was originally triangle suspension pole (TDS-429). |
| June 1994–2020 | The three dead-end insulators of the line's terminus to Balintawak Substation was at the rightmost side of a portal tower before being occupied by insulators of San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3's terminus to the said substation, moving the Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak one on a portal tower's second to last one to the right. |
| October 1995–April 2003 | Reduced steel pole count to 503 as pole 143 washed away by lahars from Mount Pinatubo and was replaced with a h-frame wood pole. |
| April 2003–November 16, 2009 | Reduced steel pole count to 500 and portal towers to 9 due to Lahar-Affected Relocation Project. This retired the 31 steel poles (126, 129–157 (FDS-126, FDS-129–FDA-157)) and 3 portal towers located at the western side of Jose Abad Santos Avenue, with two poles (127 and 158 (FDA-127 and FDS-158)) were later used on a cut-in connection to Meralco Duhat substation in Duhat, Bocaue, Bulacan and as pole 5A of Mexico–Hermosa Transmission Line which replaced a h-frame wood pole, respectively. |
| November 16, 2009–present | Upon the completion of a cut-in connection to Meralco Duhat substation, the line is now a two-part transmission line thus it is referred to as Hermosa–Duhat from Hermosa Substation to Duhat Substation and Duhat–Balintawak from Duhat Substation to Balintawak Substation. Due to this, steel pole 429 was changed from triangular suspension pole (TDS-429) to flag anchor pole (FDA-429). |
| November 16, 2009–March 2011 | Extended to 91.59 km (56.91 mi) upon the completion of its cut-in connection to Meralco Duhat substation. |
| March 2011–present | Reduced to its current energized length of 87.54 km (54.39 mi) when its San Simon–Pulilan segment was relocated along North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). The transmission line's structure count is 506 (483 steel poles, 13 lattice towers, 9 portal towers, and 1 concrete pole) |
| June 2011 | The original alignment of the line's San Simon–Pulilan segment was retired when all of its steel poles were removed which completes the Hermosa–Balintawak Transmission Line Relocation Project. |
| 2020 | Added a asymmetrical steel pole between pole 515 of Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak line (FDA-515) and a newer pole inside Balintawak Substation but it is steel pole 1 of San Jose–Balintawak transmission line line 3 (AAPD (SJO-QUE)-1) and the former (through asymmetrical insulators at the pole's top segment) only serves as overbuilt and connection to the latter and said pole. This moved the dead-end insulators of Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak's terminus to Balintawak Substation on a portal tower's second to last one to the right due to the construction of San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 thus the rightmost one is now occupied by insulators of the latter's terminus to a said substation. |
Ownership, operations, and maintenance information
The transmission line was originally operated, maintained, and owned by the government-owned National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR/NPC) from June 1994 to March 1, 2003. Operations, maintenance, and ownership of the line then transferred to another government corporation National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) on March 1, 2003 where it operated and maintained the line until January 15, 2009. The line's operations and maintenance was transferred to privately-owned National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on January 15, 2009 where it now operates and maintains the power line since then.
As a result of the turnover from TransCo to NGCP, and Republic Act (RA) 9511 and concession agreement between both parties which authorized the latter to exercise the right of eminent domain necessary for the construction, expansion, and efficient maintenance and operation of the transmission system and grid and the efficient operation and maintenance of the subtransmission systems which have not yet been disposed by TransCo where NGCP acts as the temporary owner of these assets and facilities and they will be transferred to TransCo once the 50-year NGCP concession period ends on December 1, 2058, lands where the transmission structures stand and their pedestals or foundations and right-of-way or portions of a power line acquired and designated, and facilities built or placed whether using secondhand (NAPOCOR/NPC and TransCo-era) with a new function or entirely new structures from January 15, 2009 (steel poles 228–254, 257–265, 268–289, 381–384, and steel pole 1 of San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 where the Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak line is overbuilt and has a connection to since 2020) are operated, maintained, and owned by NGCP, while those that were placed or built, acquired, and designated from June 1994 to January 14, 2009 are owned by TransCo and operated and maintained by NGCP, as one mandate of the former is to handle all existing cases, including right-of-way and claims which accrued prior to the transfer of power grid operations and maintenance to the latter on January 15, 2009. Below is the table showing the ownership information on each lands where the structures and their respective foundations and pedestals stand, and right-of-way.
| Owner | Number of lands and structures owned | Number of right-of-way or portions owned | Length | Percentage (by number of lands and structures) | Percentage (by number of right-of-way or portions) | Percentage (by length) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) | 432 (409 steel poles (1–55, 58–98, 100–125, RHB-01–RHB-30, 179–227, 314–380, 385–429, 8 steel poles used on the power line's cut-in connection to Meralco Duhat substation, 430–496, 500–511, 515 (FDA-1–55, FDA-58–98, FDA-100–FDS-125, FDA-RHB-01–RHB-30, FDA-179–227, FDA-314–FDS-380, FDA-385–429, TDS-430–FDA-496, FDA-500–511, FDA-515)), 13 lattice towers (LDT-55, 56, 99, 255, 256, 266, 267, 497–499, 512–514), 9 portal towers, 1 cement pole) | 8 | 72.42 km | 85.38% | 61.54% | 83% |
| National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP; owned, operated, and maintained) | 74 steel poles (12 poles on relocated San Fernando segment of the power line, 228–254, 257–265, 268–289, 381–384 (FDA-228–254, FDS-257–FDA-265, FDS-268–FDA-289, FDA-381–384)) + connection and overbuilt to San Jose–Balintawak Transmission Line line 3 through its steel pole 1 between pole 515 of Hermosa–Duhat–Balintawak line itself since 2020 and a portal tower inside Balintawak Substation (AAPD (SJO-QUE)-1) where the latter ends | 5 | 15.11 km | 14.62% | 38.46% | 17% |
Controversy
The planned realignment of the transmission line's San Fernando segment along Jose Abad Santos Avenue that started on December 2010 was met with opposition from businessmen and residents. Fernandino Jasa stakeholders, a group composed of owners of different businesses and residents of Villa Barosa Subdivision, expressed their concerns over the potential risks and hazards on their health and properties if such relocation is implemented. One such risk is the probability of the lines being cut and swung towards buildings during natural calamities like earthquakes and typhoons, endangering human lives and properties. Levy Laus, chairman of the Laus Group of Companies, pointed out the negative impacts of the transmission line to the aesthetics of the city and the potential development of highrises and skyscrapers along the avenue. Several residents also took note of the lack of coordination between them and the NGCP. Laus suggested that steel poles be instead relocated in less populated areas like open areas or paddy fields.[11]
Notes
- ↑ Right-of-way or portions that use lattice towers, and the towers themselves and their associated lands, sites, or locations (255, 256, 266, and 267) were acquired, designated, and made ready by National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) prior to the turnover of transmission line's operations and maintenance from TransCo to National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and start of 50-year concession period of the latter from February 18, 2008 to January 15, 2009 therefore owned by TransCo, and operated and maintained by NGCP. The portions or ROWs that use steel poles, the poles themselves, and lands or sites where they are located (228–254, 257–265, 268–289), however, were designated, acquired, and became ready by NGCP when it is now the operator of the transmission line and during its concession period from January 15, 2009 to March 25, 2011 thus they are owned, operated, and maintained by NGCP. Due to this, the relocated San Simon–Pulilan segment of the transmission line is 6.45% (4 lattice towers and 2 rights-of-way or power line portions) and 4% (0.46m) owned by TransCo and 93.55% (58 steel poles and 3 ROWs or portions) and 96% (10.95km) by NGCP (with the latter also operated and maintained).
- ↑ Abbreviation used on the relocated Guagua–San Fernando segment of the transmission line.
- ↑ NGCP abbreviation of the line's Hermosa–Duhat segment.
- ↑ NGCP abbreviation of the line's Duhat–Balintawak segment.
- ↑ Since November 16, 2009 due to cut-in connection to Manila Electric Company (Meralco) Duhat substation in Duhat, Bocaue, Bulacan, the transmission line is also known as Hermosa–Marilao–Quezon Transmission Line, Hermosa–Duhat Transmission Line, Duhat–Balintawak Transmission Line, Hermosa–Marilao Transmission Line, Marilao–Quezon Transmission Line, Hermosa–Bocaue–Balintawak Transmission Line, Hermosa–Bocaue Transmission Line, and Bocaue–Balintawak Transmission Line. It is formerly known as Hermosa–Balintawak Transmission Line from June 1994 to November 16, 2009 prior to the construction of its connection to Duhat Substation.
- ↑ From June 1994 to June 2011, the line's San Simon–Pulilan section ran parallel into MacArthur Highway from San Simon to Caltex in Calumpit and Pulilan Regional Road from Calumpit to Pulilan Exit in Pulilan. Its energized length was reduced to 11.69 km (7.26 mi) from 15.16 km (9.42 mi) when the relocated transmission line segment was completed in March 2011 and three months later on June 2011, all steel poles along the original alignment were removed. The Hermosa–Balintawak Transmission Line relocation project in 2011 also reduced the amount of transmission structures on the said power line segment from 86 (228–313) to 62 (228–289).
References
- ↑ "NGCP 2014-2015 Transmission Development Plan Volume 1 (Major Network Development)" (PDF). www.doe.gov.ph. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ↑ "Implementation Completion Report Philippines Power Transmission and Rehabilitation Project (LOAN NO. 3626-PH)" (PDF). documents1.worldbank.org. 17 April 1998. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
- ↑ "Transco completes P 258 million project". www.philstar.com. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
- ↑ De Leon, Jovi (7 February 2018). "NGCP to start relocating transmission lines along Jasa". Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- ↑ Arcellaz, Princess Clea (1 August 2019). "NGCP starts 'relocation' of Jasa electric posts". Retrieved 18 December 2019.
- ↑ "NGCP 2012 Transmission Development Plan" (PDF). www.ngcp.ph. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
- ↑ "NGCP 2009 Transmission Development Plan" (PDF). www.doe.gov.ph. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ↑ "NGCP 2010 Transmission Development Plan". www.prezi.com. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ↑ "Operations - National Grid Corporation of the Philippines: Business Scope". ngcp.ph. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
- ↑ "PRIMER ON THE 22 APRIL 2019 MAGNITUDE 6.1 CENTRAL LUZON EARTHQUAKE". PAGASA. April 22, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ↑ Arcellaz, Princess Clea (9 August 2017). "Jasa stakeholders oppose relocation of NGCP's posts". Retrieved 23 May 2020.