Sucat–Araneta–Balintawak Transmission Line

The Sucat–Araneta–Balintawak Transmission Line (abbreviated as SA[lower-alpha 2], 8LI1QUE-DIM[lower-alpha 3], 8LI1DIM-MNA[lower-alpha 4], 8LI1MNA-MUN[lower-alpha 5]) is a 230,000 volt, single-circuit, three-part transmission line in Metro Manila, Philippines that connects Sucat and Balintawak substations of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), with line segment termination at NGCP Araneta substation in Quezon City and Manila Electric Company (Meralco) Paco substation in Paco, Manila.

Sucat–Araneta–Balintawak Transmission Line
A segment of the transmission line along Tomas Claudio Street/PNR in Pandacan, Manila, with the lattice tower 154 at the foreground.
Location
CountryPhilippines
ProvinceMetro Manila
FromSucat Substation
ToBalintawak Substation
Ownership information
OwnerNational Power Corporation (2000–2003)
National Transmission Corporation (2003–present)
OperatorNational Power Corporation (2000–2003)
National Transmission Corporation (2003–2009)
National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (2009–present)[lower-alpha 1]
Construction information
Construction started1996 (1996)
Commissioned2000 (2000)
Technical information
Type of currentHVAC
Total length34 km (21 mi)
No. of transmission towers241 (214 steel poles, 26 lattice towers, and 1 portal tower)
AC voltage230 kV
No. of poles214
No. of circuits1

Route description

The 34-kilometer (21 mi) Sucat–Araneta–Balintawak Transmission Line began construction in 1996[1] and went into service in 2000. Originally commissioned by the government-owned National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR), it is now operated and maintained by privately-owned National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). It passes through the cities of Muntinlupa, Taguig, Makati, Manila, and Quezon City.

Sucat–Paco
Steel pole 49 anchoring the line to a portal tower, located along Upper McKinley Road, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The transmission line starts at Sucat Substation where it parallels Manuel L. Quezon Avenue and Laguna Lake Highway before it turns left. It then passes to Diego Silang Village and parallels with Carlos P. Garcia Avenue. It goes to the left again, passing through Manila American Cemetery and Bonifacio Heights before paralleling to South Luzon Expressway (SLEx). At SLEX, it crosses to Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) through the Magallanes Interchange. It continues on a straight route and after crossing Gil Puyat Avenue are 7 new steel poles that were used for the relocation of poles due to the construction of Skyway Stage 3. It crosses to San Andres Bukid and Paco. The cut-in connection to Meralco Paco substation is located in this district, where the line's Sucat–Paco section ends.

Paco–Araneta

The line parallels to Tomas Claudio Street (or Paco–Santa Mesa Road), PNR Metro Commuter railroad and Magsaysay Boulevard, turns left to Gregorio Araneta Avenue, and the line's Paco–Araneta section ends at Araneta Substation.

Araneta–Balintawak

The line continues paralleling Araneta Avenue until it passes to Valentin Ventura Street, Tuktukan Street, and Kaingin Road before it crosses to EDSA. It turns left and after a few meters is the transmission line's terminus which is Balintawak Substation.

Statistics

The line consists of:

  • 214 steel poles (Balintawak–Araneta segment: 1-54; Araneta–Paco and Paco–Sucat segments: 1-8, 30-149, 150A, 150B, and 155-185)
  • 26 lattice towers (9-29, 150, and 151-154)
  • 1 portal tower located between steel poles 49 and 50 ((8LI1MNA-MUN)97)

Expansion and improvements
Rerouting of the transmission line segment along Quirino Avenue in Paco, using new steel pole 144, as a result of the construction of Skyway Stage 3.

To protect the steel poles from corrosion, several existing poles are being painted with aluminum paint.

In 2018, a portal tower located between steel poles 53 and 54 ((8LI1MNA-MUN)92) was removed and retired to give way for the increasing number of buildings in Taguig.

With the construction of the Skyway Stage 3, several steel poles are being replaced by newer ones specifically those along the Araneta segment.[2]

Health controversy

The Sucat–Araneta–Balintawak Transmission Line, specifically the segment between SLEx in Makati and Bonifacio Heights in Taguig, was criticized by the residents living along the Tamarind Road in Dasmariñas Village, Makati, who claimed the transmission line pose health risks. The said segment is located within 10 meters of Tamarind Road in the said village. The residents, led by Atty. Eduardo F. Hernandez, blamed the electromagnetic fields (EMF) emanated by the 230-kV power lines for such health issues as cancer, leukemia, and miscarriage. They also took note of no consultation with regards to the construction of the transmission line. Responding to the petition filed by the residents, the Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that the safety issue of the lines was "evidentiary in nature," although they took note of the potential health risks due to EMF radiation exposure with regards to the scientific studies. The Court also added that long-term human safety should be of paramount importance as opposed to the presumption of economic benefits.[1][3]

National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) vice president for operations Carlito Claudio warned in November 2008 that complete retirement of the Sucat–Araneta–Balintawak Transmission Line could trigger "hours-long rotating blackouts, just like during the power crisis in the 1990s," that might adversely impact the country's leading economic hubs of Makati and Ortigas, and added the unfeasibility of building an alternate underground cable line that would cost ₱1 billion. Former TransCo president Alan Ortiz noted the transmission line as a crucial line, and said claims of electromagnetic radiation associated with high-voltage transmission lines like this "have yet to be 100-percent scientifically established."[4]

  • Steel pole 163 located along Magsaysay Boulevard, Manila. Note that the lowest insulator on the left in which it connects to a support steel pole instead of directly connecting to pole 162 like the rest of its insulators.
  • Steel pole 13 (of suspension or flag design, in the foreground) of the transmission line along the east side of the Gregorio Araneta Avenue
  • One of the replacement poles of the transmission line along the west side of the Gregorio Araneta Avenue

Notes
  1. As stated on High Voltage stickers placed on new steel poles that were used due to the construction of Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, including 2 new poles located along Tomas Claudio, Pandacan, Manila.
  2. Abbreviation used on the line's Sucat–Araneta segment.
  3. NGCP abbreviation of the line's Balintawak-Araneta segment.
  4. NGCP abbreviation of the line's Araneta-Paco segment.
  5. NGCP abbreviation of the line's Paco-Sucat segment.
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References
  1. "'Silent killer' at Tamarind Road". PhilStar.com. January 27, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  2. Talavera, Catherine (February 10, 2019). "SMC on track to complete Skyway Stage 3 by year-end". Philstar.com. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  3. "G.R. No. 145328". Lawphil.net. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  4. Gatdula, Donnabelle L. (November 28, 2008). "Transco warns of blackouts". Philstar.com. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
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