Shut Up! Silence! Resolve the Power Problem!

Philippines: Need for brief moment of silence, full attention to power crisis

July 13, 2014. A simple time of silence and attentiveness is needed. For just a little while, stop the desperate fibbing about DAP, PDAF, Destroy Jinggoy-Estrada-Enrile-Binay, et al.

Let's for a brief moment focus on a potential flashpoint. The power situation in Luzon and nearby areas is facing a possible threat from incoming tropical storm Rammasun. With the entry of the storm months, any small or major damage might engender greater numbers of power shortages in Luzon. Earlier, during the previous month, it was reported by Manila Times that the worsening power problems will cause severe crisis over the next two years. (Read the news item here.)

As early as 1990, it was already admonished by the Department of National Defense that the Philippines get into the act of laying the infrastructure for surplus power supply for the next twenty five years (from 1990 up to 2015). This suggestion was not heeded. While the intention of succeeding regime after that of Mrs. Corazon Aquino was possibly noble, the deregulation of the power sector did nothing to cure the problem of extreme shortfall in the national requirement for power.

 Photo credit: extremetech.com

Photo credit: imageshack

We cannot overstate the potential impact of incoming Tropical Storm Rammasun (local code name Bagyo Glenda). However, with its path going through areas where above ground power transmission lines can possibly be hit by its now strengthening winds, there is no doubt that a number of circuit suspension towers will topple at the height of the storm.

If Rammasun itself does not completely break down major portions of Central and Southern Luzon's suspension towers and several large number of electric transmission lines, forthcoming typhoons and even more minor tropical storms can do the job.

A large number of preventive activities need to be put in place. During the storm it will be absolutely hazardous to keep live power lines intact just to avoid transmission from tripping. The time to undertake pro-active measures is now, before the strong winds come. And following the exit of Rammasun or Glenda, more pro-active measures can then be taken - considering lessons learned from the passage of the storm.

These however must necessitate that serious attention be given to such kind of effort, beyond the present panicked and frenetic, super desperate moves to throw mud at each other between the group of Philippine president Mr. Aquino and his critics, as well as the Philippine Supreme Court that recently outlawed a fund use scheme called Development Acceleration Program.

In most developed, as well as in many developing countries, storm or typhoon buffers are installed to protect and safeguard farms and other agriculture livelihood centers.  Such storm buffers do not prevent total destruction of crops but these greatly minimize the losses from the havoc wreaked by calamity like extreme freezing, wind, rain, sleet, graupel, hail stones and aside from other threats like pest birds, insects.

Shown below are sample agricultural buffers that safeguard crops from calamity, pest attacks and selected other natural or human-made catastrophes.

Protective structures for overhead circuit suspension towers and power lines are anachronistic and insignificant to members of the power sector – particularly those involved in erecting overhead power transmission lines. This is due to the fact that the public and workers that do the installation of these structures deeply feel the considerably pressing need to have protection against these structures themselves.  Indeed the risk of accidents and getting electrocuted within the proximity of these structures is very high and such incidents cannot be accurately predicted.

On the other hand, there are protective structures built around these towers not to safeguard them but to save living forms like birds and sometimes humans from getting electrocuted.

However, with the occurrence of more and more devastating calamities, disasters, there ought to be a way to secure these installations from unnecessarily easily getting damaged when reinforcing structures could have made them sturdier and allowed them to endure the fusillade coming natural catastrophes like Glenda.

In particular areas, like Tagaytay City, the specifications that must be strictly followed for constructing all kinds of structures from buildings down to simple signages, is one that could make the structure withstand powerful Tagaytay winds sometimes coming to 200 or more kilometers per hour (± 200 kph).

Selected Tagaytay City structures

   

One of the best countermeasures to protect circuit suspension towers from damage during the recent worsening disasters, is reinforcement.  Strengthening the towers, reinforcing power lines either by adding or else replacing some parts with tougher, more resilient components.

For keeping as many power transmission lines and suspension towers safe, these buffers can be installed even for short-term purposes. In this case, prior to the landfall of Rammasun (Glenda), some safety measures can be installed. At the very least, lesser damage can be expected from the storm in case Rammasun (Glenda) will develop fast into a super typhoon.

As of this time, while there are a large number of power plant operations in Luzon are bogged down, if a substantial portion of the grid will suffer damage, the potential for burgeoning power outages will be great.

Rammasun is expected to hit the Philippine area of responsibility in the next 48 hours. For the love of God, stop bickering just for a short while and do something about this problem. If the Philippine government fails to listen to suggestions that could increase chances of preventing critical power outages in Luzon, then it must be the most inutile regime this country ever had in the entire history of this nation.

Photo credit: US NOAA

Photo credits: weather.com

Photo credit: Accuweather

Update 1 Video Credit: westernpacificweather.com

Update 2 Photo - Video Credit: westernpacificweather.com

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GMA- Storm signals in various areas of RP as Glenda nears

Posted under theme:

 #Glenda #Rammasun #power crisis #government corruption