ONCE the Visayan Electric Co. completes its underground distribution system (UDS) around the Sinulog parade route, it will next look at the South Road Properties for a similar undertaking.

Engineer Noel Modesto, assistant vice president on engineering operations, said that the UDS in the area, where power lines are placed underground, may be their biggest, in terms of budget.

“We have also scheduled the start of our underground distribution system in the South Road Properties. It’s probably the biggest, in terms of budget. The project is in coordination with the rest of the utility companies in that area. It includes all the utilities. There’s a space called the utility corridor,” he said.

A utility corridor is a passage made under or above ground to carry electricity or communication utilities.

“In the next few years, however progressive the establishments are in that area, you won’t find any overhead lines because it’s all going to be underground,” he said.

They are waiting for the Cebu City Government to give the go-signal to start the project.

The UDS project started in 2013.

Phase 1A, the 600-meter stretch from the Provincial Capitol to Fuente Osmeña Circle, and Phase 1B, the 1,100-meter stretch from Fuente Circle to the corner of P. del Rosario St., were already completed.

It completed the second phase, which covered the lines along Osmeña Blvd., P. del Rosario St. to the corner of Sikatuna St., last July.

They are currently planning to start excavation on Sikatuna St. to the corner of Lorega, which could be completed by the middle of next year.

They expect the whole project to be completed by August 2021, covering the entire Sinulog parade route.

Modesto also clarified that whenever there are works on the UDS, there is no power interruption.

“I’d like to correct the notion that if we do works to place our cables underground, there is power interruption. Actually, there is none. We pride ourselves in Veco that we have a high degree of reliability and we have a very robust system such that if this line is not available, another line will take over,” he said.

The company also announced it began operating the new San Fernando substation to serve the company’s south franchise area.

It will also upgrade its Consolacion substation to add 33MVA capacity by the end of the year and energize its transformers in the north sector. (JOB)