TREE WIRES INSTALLATION. Beneco General Manager Engr. Melchor Licoben reported during the cooperative’s annual general membership assembly on June 6, 2026, that they are installing high-voltage insulated tree wires to prevent power outages caused by trees contacting distribution lines. The 23-kilovolt wires are being installed in high forest cover areas like Loakan Road and La Trinidad. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)
The Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) is installing tree wires to address power outages caused by trees coming into contact with distribution lines, resulting in unscheduled power disruptions.
“We are slowly shifting from underground cabling to installing tree wires, which is easier to implement and cheaper,” Beneco General Manager Engr. Melchor Licoben said Monday.
Tree-wires are insulated wires that prevent power disruption even if they come into contact with foreign objects or if animals step on them.
“Normal tree-wires are typically 600 volts, but we are investing in wires capable of handling high voltage – 23 kilovolts,” Licoben said.
Tree-wire installation has started in areas with high forest cover, including Loakan Road and the area leading to La Trinidad, Benguet’s capital town, where records show several outages due to contact with trees and structures.
Licoben said underground cabling remains a long-term plan but requires extensive study due to right-of-way issues and terrain challenges.
“It is not easy to just dig the road and place cables underground. It needs a lot of study. We did a very comprehensive study, but it is very expensive. That is why we are slowly shifting to installing tree wires,” he said.
During Beneco’s annual general membership assembly over the weekend, Licoben also reported that they are shifting substation cables to underground to ensure substation cleanliness and minimize outages from foreign objects.