MANILA, (PNA) — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines recently completed the installation of a new 300-megavolt ampere transformer at its substation in Batangas City.
Originally set to be energized in December 2013, NGCP fast-tracked the project to address the upcoming increase in the power requirement of the province.
Based on NGCP’s 2012 Transmission Development Plan, the company expects a 2% annual growth rate of its customers in Batangas in the next five years.
This is one of NGCP’s major considerations in expanding the substation.
NGCP saw the need to replace one of the three existing transformers because the particular equipment has already been repaired and reconditioned before.
“To ensure that our Batangas substation is working in tip-top condition, we need to replace the transformer. The equipment can only be repaired up to a number of times. It is about time we replace it and invest in a new one,” Atty. Cynthia D. Perez-Alabanza, NGCP Spokesperson, said.
The new Xian transformer replaced the aging 100-MVA Hyundai transformer. With the newly installed transformer, the capacity of Batangas substation increased by 200 MVA.
“We saw that the original transformer was showing signs of deterioration so we expedited the installation,” said Atty. Alabanza. The installation started on Sept 6 and was finished six days after.
NGCP is also set to add another 300-MVA transformer in the same substation before the year ends.
The project is part of NGCP’s Luzon Substation Expansion Project which has a total ERC-approved cost of Php 515 million.
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.
NGCP’s regular maintenance activities and expansion projects aim to enhance the reliability and quality of electricity delivered to grid-connected customers like generators, distributors, and large industries.