NGCP to complete South Luzon power transmission facility improvement in Q4

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MONDAY, 23 JULY 2012 20:19 PAUL ANTHONY A. ISLA / REPORTER

THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the country’s sole power-lines concessionaire, is set to complete three transmission expansion and upgrade projects in South Luzon in the last quarter of the year and early next year.

NGCP said it has replaced and modernized the power circuit breakers installed in its Labo Substation in Camarines Norte and Gumaca Substation in Quezon.

The old power circuit breakers, the NGCP said have to be replaced as they no longer have the technical capacity to efficiently respond to system disturbances in the power network as power demand continues to grow. It added that the old power circuit breakers are no longer practical to maintain due to diminishing supply of spare parts in the market.

NGCP said the upgrade of projects is estimated to cost P73 million for the Labo and Gumaca substations.

 The cost, according to NGCP, is covered for the supply and installation of six 230 kiloVolt (kV) power circuit. The upgrade of the Labo and Gumaca substations are expected to be finished in the fourth quarter of the year.

At the same time, NGCP expects to complete the P295-million Tayabas Extra High Voltage (EHV) substation expansion project to eventually allow all possible generation dispatch scenarios for the power plants in Quezon and the Bicol region.

NGCP said the expansion involves the installation of additional 600 megavolt amperes (MVA) 500/230 kV transformer and the improvement of the 500 kV power circuit breakers and substation accessories control, protection and communication system.

The installation of equipment will ensure efficient, stable and reliable delivery of electrical power to the load center, and the installation of additional capacity would help maintain the provision for N-1 contingency at the Tayabas EHV Substation, the NGCP assured.

NGCP said it is also working to complete the P618-million Dasmariñas EHV substation expansion project by the first quarter of 2013.

These projects, the NGCP said covers the installation of additional capacity for both the 500-kV and 230-kV substations in Dasmariñas, Cavite, to maintain the provision of N-1 contingency during maximum dispatch of the Ilijan power plant in Batangas and the Quezon Power Plant and the Pagbilao Coal Plants in Quezon.

N-1 contingency enables the power grid to sustain its integrity in case of a loss of a major component in the power system. NGCP added that the project also involves the installation of 300-MVA additional capacity to the 230/115-kV power transformer.

The project also includes the replacement of two 500-kV, 15 230-kV and two 115-kV power circuit breakers, which will increase the reliability of the entire substation, the NGCP said.

NGCP is a privately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid. It transmits high-voltage electricity through “power superhighways” that include the interconnected system of transmission lines and towers, substations and related assets. Its regular maintenance activities and expansion projects aim to enhance the reliability and quality of electricity delivered to customers.    source