Bicam panel approves anti-obstruction of power lines bill

A bicameral conference committee has approved the bill seeking to keep all power line corridors free of any obstructions that may disrupt the supply of electricity from power plants to consumers.

In a statement, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, said the bill will enable the responsive maintenance and rehabilitation of transmission, sub-transmission, and distribution lines.

Under the reconciled version, all power line corridors will be kept clear and free from any obstructions, dangerous structures, hazardous activities, or any similar circumstances that impede the continuous flow of electricity.

Power line corridors include the land beneath, the air spaces surrounding, and the area traversed by power lines including its horizontal, vertical, and similar clearance requirements.

Should this be enacted into law, it will prohibit the planting of tall growing plants, the construction of hazardous improvements, and the conduct of any hazardous activities within the power line corridor.

"If there is to be any energy-related lesson to be learned from the many typhoons that have struck our country, it is that keeping power line corridors clear and free from any obstruction or potential debris will minimize the risk of power lines getting damaged during natural calamities," said Gatchalian.

"This, in turn, would lessen the time it would take to repair damaged lines and restore power to affected areas," he added. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/LBG, GMA News