NGCP completes new switchyard in Laoag

Manila Times
November 21, 2014 8:36 pm

POWER grid operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has completed its new switchyard in Laoag Substation, Barit, Laoag City in Ilocos Norte Province.
Situated on a 3.5-hectare lot, the substation has a new 230-kilovolt (kV) switchyard, two 300- megavolt ampere (MVA) transformer, power circuit breakers, and associated power equipment.
It is part of NGCP’s San Esteban-Laoag 230-kV Transmission Project 2.
The project involves the construction of 210 circuit-kilometers of transmission lines from San Esteban to Laoag, and the expansion and upgrade of two major substations, namely San Esteban Substation in Ilocos Sur and Laoag Substation in Ilocos Norte.
The double-circuit line from San Esteban to Laoag Substation will transmit power generated from the wind farms in Ilocos Norte to the Luzon grid.
It will also strengthen the transmission corridor in the Ilocos area, and comply with the N-1 contingency criterion required under the Philippine Grid Code.
Earlier this year, NGCP president and chief executive officer Henry Sy Jr. visited the Laoag Substation to switch on a 300-MVA transformer that is also part of the project.
The Laoag Substation is NGCP’s northernmost facility that transmits electricity generated from new renewable energy projects, such as the Burgos Wind Project of Energy Development Corp. and North Luzon Renewable Energy Corp.
“NGCP recognizes the importance of the Laoag substation as the looping point of the transmission corridor in North Luzon. We will do everything possible to strengthen our facilities here and improve the reliability of the entire Luzon grid for the benefit of all our power customers,” said Sy.
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, towers, substations, and related assets.
The consortium, which holds a 25-year concession contract to operate the country’s power transmission network, is comprised of Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp. led by Henry Sy, Jr., Calaca High Power Corp. led by Robert Coyiuto, Jr., and the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) as technical partner.
NGCP’s concession is for the operation and maintenance of the power transmission facilities. The Philippine government still wholly owns these assets.
RITCHIE A. HORARIO source