NGCP denies dismantling telco facilities at transmission sites

Private concessionaire-firm National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has denied reports of telecommunications facilities’ dismantling at the sites of transmission assets that are under its charge.

That has been the company’s response to state-run National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) following its directive for NGCP to explain said reported activities at the transmission assets, including at substations, highvoltage towers and poles.

TransCo President Melvin A. Matibag earlier sent a correspondence to NGCP President Henry T. Sy Jr. on the matter, stressing that they want the transmission concessionaire-firm to “shed light on the erected facilities and make a confirmation of the reported dismantling/decommissioning of said facilities.”

He further stipulated that “if true, we demand that NGCP and/ or other entities authorized by NGCP to cease and desist from any activities of de-installation, dismantling or decommissioning of the facilities mentioned to protect the interest of the government.

But in a letter-response, NGCP Chief Administrative Officer Anthony L. Almeda stated that “there are no de-installation, dismantling or decommissioning currently being made in our facilities.”

The NGCP executive added “the reports and allegations on the supposed on-going activities are untrue and unfounded.”

Despite the privatization of the country’s transmission assets via a 25-year concession deal with NGCP, TransCo remains the owner of the Philippine transmission assets.

Matibag earlier sought that NGCP would “open the said sites for immediate audit and inspection by TransCo personnel.”

In the letter to NGCP that had been circulated to the media, the TransCo chief executive has attached documents, including sample purchase orders on the dismantling of the facilities contracted by Bell Telecommunications.

But Almeda qualified that the “sample purchase orders attached to your letter allegedly issued by Bell Telecommunications Philippines Inc. for decommissioning activities bear no any connection to any of the operations or activities of NGCP.”