Veco underground system to cover key areas in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines — The Visayan Electric Company aims to work on its underground distribution system (UDS) every year until all key areas in Cebu City will be covered.

This  according to Jim Aboitiz, chief operating officer for distribution group at Aboitiz Power, VECO's parent power firm, in an interview with The FREEMAN at the sidelines of the 12th Aboitiz Future Leaders Business Summit held in Dusit Thani Manila in Makati City yesterday.

VECO is finishing the UDS in the Sinulog route, spanning 4.75 kilometers and consisting of six phases.

The distribution company has already completed phases 1A and 1B and recently began work on phase two last Sept. 15.

"From there we can begin to branch out. We're going to continue it (the UDS) every year. It's going to take so long," the COO said.

He said the underground system is more reliable although it requires a big amount of investment.

He added the UDS would require an investment of between P80-P200 million a year depending on the areas covered.

The underground cabling project is VECO’s answer to Cebu City Ordinance No. 1894, approved on April 25, 2001, which seeks to get rid of unsightly wires along city roads.

Its phase 1A consists 650 meters project from the Cebu Provincial Capitol to Fuente Osmeña Circle and it cost P96 million and was completed in 2015.

Phase 1B meanwhile cost P65.5 million spanning 1,100 meters from Fuente Osmeña Circle to the corner of P. del Rosario St. and was completed in March this year.

VECO has earmarked more than P50 million for phase 2 which covers 600 meters from the corner of P. del Rosario St. and Osmeña Boulevard to the corner of Sikatuna St.

Phase 2 is expected to be completed by February 2018.

VECO had targeted to finish the remaining four phases in four years, with one phase launched every year.

The UDS is designed for aesthetics, safety, more stable power and avoiding pole-related problems.

VECO's franchise area includes the city of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay and Naga, as well as the municipalities in the greater part of Metro Cebu such as Liloan, Consolacion, Minglanilla and San Fernando.

As of July this year, the power distributor has 416,000 customers within its franchise area. (FREEMAN)