The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is now faced with the problem of looking for usable areas to hold transmission lines that would link the power barge in Tapal Wharf, Ubay to a substation in Barangay Emelda of the same town.

According to NGCP spokesperson Betty Martinez, they have yet to secure right-of-way for their electric posts which would hold transmission lines linking the waterborne power facility to a distribution utility.

Tapal Wharf is some seven kilometers away from the village of Emelda while most of the land in between the two points are privately owned, said Martinez.

The NGCP official clarified that they are ready to build the transmission lines and can start operations once right of way is acquired.

Equipment are on hand and there is enough manpower to carry out the construction, said Martinez.

Meanwhile, negotiations between the NGCP and the private land owners have commenced.

The power transmission firm has also sought the assistance of the Ubay local government unit in a bid to expedite arrangements for the power lines.

At dawn on Wednesday, Power Barge 104 of Salcon Power Corp. arrived at the Tapal Wharf to provide supplemental power supply to consumers of Bohol Electric Cooperative II and several Bohol towns.

The power facility is currently moored off the said pier and will stay there until retrofitting of its permanent docking site in Loon is completed. (AD)