Meralco wants more subsurface power lines
Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is targeting to roll out an additional 1,500 circuit-kilometers of underground cables over the next few years, an official said.
Froilan Savet, head of networks at Meralco, said that the group planned to prioritize areas that can have underground wiring distribution systems.
These include “greenfield” sites, where installation could be swift since Meralco will be working closely with real estate developers.
Other identified “key value areas” include financial districts, commercial centers, heritage sites and tourist spots.
Savet also said that Meralco will focus on areas frequently hit by typhoons.
However, he said executing this in flood-prone areas will be challenging since they still need to coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in relation to flood control projects.
“It’s not impossible but it’s a very complex project,” he said.
Aside from addressing messy overhead wires, also known as “spaghetti wires,” some local government units and lawmakers push for the implementation of relocating utility lines underground to improve resilience against storms.
Savet said they would propose this project to the Energy Regulatory Commission.
Asked for the timeline, he said Meralco hopes to launch this in the “medium term, up to 2030.” However, Savet said this would still depend on securing permits and right-of-way grants.
The estimated investment was also not disclosed, but he noted that implementing underground cables is 10 times costlier than overhead lines.
