Iloilo underground cabling ready by 2024
The project is expected to be completed by June 2024. Dredging and drilling activities, which make up 35 percent of the project, are well underway. Phase 2 or the actual undergrounding of cables is expected to commence in January 2024 and run until June 2024
MORE Electric and Power Corp., the exclusive electricity provider in Iloilo City owned by the group of businessman Enrique K. Razon Jr., is scheduled to complete its P96-million underground cabling project next year — a first-of-its-kind venture in the region.
MORE Power president and CEO Roel Castro said the Underground Distribution Services, or UDS project along JM Basa Street in Iloilo, although it entails additional cost, is part of the company's commitment to preserve 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," Castro said.
According to MORE Power's timeline, the project is expected to be completed by June 2024. Dredging and drilling activities, which make up 35 percent of the project, are well underway.
Additional two months
Engr. Armil Logarta, head of Project Development and Management at MORE Power said the company had to add two months allocated for the removal of existing facilities, the UDS initiative spans from the corner of Arroyo Street, Aldeguer Street, Guanco Street, Mapa Street, Ortiz Street, until Rizal/Zamora Street and Libertad Plaza.
This encompasses a one-kilometer stretch of Iloilo City's historic business district, including the heritage zone known as Calle Real.
The UDS project's three pivotal phases: 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, unlocking the full potential of the UDS project.
Phase 2 or the actual undergrounding of cables is expected to commence in January 2024 and run until June 2024.
Customer base expanded
Since assuming the power distributorship in 2020 with just 74,196 customers, MORE Power has expanded its customer base to 84,735 in 2021 and 90,692 in 2022.