MANILA, July 21 (PNA) -– The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) will build a Php150 million grid-simulator facility called “Power Tech” in its main office in Ortigas, Pasig City.
”The Power Tech (facility) is worth Php150 million,” Meralco President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Oscar Reyes told reporters Monday at the sidelines of the “Power Tech Launch”.
A first in the country, Power Tech will serve as an “innovation, research and development (R&D) and technical training facility that will feature the use of Smart Grid,” which is the system used for controlling power flow from generation companies to houses through computers or gadgets.
Reyes said, in a speech, that the facility will meet the “surge in new conventional power plant developments, and increasing adoption of new power generation technologies in utility scale renewables such as solar and wind, and of solar rooftop installations, introduction of prepaid electricity service, and e-vehicles and the development of a smart grid.”
The facility — which will feature a 2-storey, green architecture structure in a 3,139 square meter (sqm) lot — will be fully operational by early 2017.
Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, will power the structure. It will also use natural lighting and ventilation.
Training Labs will be featured, such as the Grid Adventure, Endeavor, Pathfinder and Resolution Test Areas.
Moreover, “the Grid Enterprise” will serve as a test area, while an innovation center called “Grid Discovery” will also be built.
Meralco will also showcase an auditorium in the building that will be called “Grid Inspiration”.
The facility aims to upgrade the competency of Meralco’s engineers and other industry players, test-bed for Smart Grid and other electrical equipment and devices, and to drive innovation and R&D in the Philippine power industry.
Ronnie Aperocho, Meralco vice president and head of networks, said in a speech “Meralco needs to develop 30 more experts in the areas of Power Supply Management, Electric Utility Planning, Engineering Design and most especially Grid Automation and Operations Technology.”
He added the power firm will re-activate its association of engineers, which will strengthen the engagement of over 1,000 engineers from different fields.
It will also tap schools and universities to harness globally competitive professionals in the local power industry, with the University of the Philippines-College of Engineering as one of its primary partners.
For the suppliers, Power Tech will serve as a test-bed for Smart Grid and other developing technologies. (PNA)