The P96.4-million Underground Distribution Services (UDS) project of MORE Electric and Power Corp (MORE Power) on JM Basa Street in Iloilo City is expected to be completed in June 2024.
Launched in October this year, the project “is progressing seamlessly according to schedule, with no reported delays to date,” engineer Armil Logarta, MORE Power Project Development and Management Department head, said on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
The project, which aims to remove all overhead lines and place them underground, spans from the corner of Arroyo St., Aldeguer St., Guanco St., Mapa St., Ortiz St., until Rizal/Zamora St. (Burgos St.) and Plaza Libertad.
This encompasses a one-kilometer stretch of the city’s historic business district, including the heritage zone known as Calle Real.
Logarta said the project’s Phase 1 involves intricate civil works, Phase 2 centers on electrical works, covering cable laying and termination, and Phase 3 culminates with the removal of existing overhead lines and structures.
According to him, the civil works, constituting 35 percent of the project and encompassing dredging and drilling activities, “are well underway.”
The second phase or the actual undergrounding of cables is scheduled to commence in January next year and run until June.
Roel Castro, MORE Power president and CEO, said the project “reflects the company’s steadfast commitment to supporting local government initiatives, particularly in preserving the cultural and heritage aspects of the community.”
“I believe there are very few cities in the Philippines that can genuinely boast of having a rich heritage and culture, evident in the edifices and monuments scattered around the city. These structures serve as testaments to the city’s exceptionally rich cultural and historical legacy,” he said.IMT
