NGCP revising Transmission Facility inspection protocols

Manila Bulletin 
By Myrna M. Velasco 
Published: August 25, 2013 
With public aversion to brownouts, system operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) indicated that it has been modifying its technical standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent with higher probabilities some incidents that could trigger service interruptions.
 The company’s revised inspection protocol, according to NGCP deputy assistant chief technical officer for operations and maintenance Venusto D. Hamoy, will primarily cover the inspection of lines and substation equipment such as power transformers and shunt reactors.
“We are working on the more detailed reporting of transmission line and substation inspections as a proactive measure to avoid line trippings that may disrupt service to our customers,” he stressed.
The scale of transmission lines placed under the grid operator’s charge stretches up to 20,000 circuit-kilometers; while substation capacity across the country had been as massive as 27,000 megavolt amperes.
Despite the enormity of task tracking the conditions as well as policing the operations of such magnitude of transmission assets, Hamoy noted that NGCP will be taking on that responsibility “very seriously.”
The revised SOPs prompted NGCP on the creation of a “new inspection checklist to ensure that all parts of the substation equipment function at optimal conditions.”
The company emphasized that it also “improved its line patrolling and vegetation management on lands” along right-of-way (ROW) routes of critical transmission facilities.
On the aspect of line patrolling, NGCP noted that this is being done more extensively and stringently with “tower-to-tower inspection and aerial patrol.”
For aerial inspection, the company bared that it “procured gimbal cameras to be installed on helicopters.” The purchased cameras are expected addition to NGCP’s patrolling equipment before the end of the year.
Skills as well as knowledge enhancement of the company’s technical team are similarly being worked on. NGCP said it has been undertaking series of training seminars for its engineers.
This year’s first six months, according to the company, had been devoted to instituting refresher modules for all of its substation engineers; primarily on matters delving with substation operations and protocols.
The transmission firm similarly reinforced its line trucks with the addition of more than a hundred units while also shoring up protective equipment for line personnel at its field offices.
Hamoy said “all these changes and purchases are expected to uplift the level of our day-to-day operations and to develop the skills of our personnel.”    source