State-run National Electrification Administration (NEA) teams up with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to help improve the distribution system reliability of electric cooperatives in the country through a new smart grid technology.
JICA tapped the expertise of the Tokyo Electric Power Company or TEPCO and its affiliated firm Takaoka Toko (TKTK) to work with the NEA for the pilot implementation of the Distribution Network Management System (DNMS) technology in the province of Batangas.
NEA Deputy Administrator for Technical Services Engr. Artis Nikki Tortola said the pilot project, which will run over a period of two years from 2018 to 2019, is expected to reduce the number and duration of power outages, leading to improvement in distribution system reliability.
Tortola said the project is under the JICA collaboration program with the private sector for disseminating Japanese techhnology for electricity distribution system and management in the Philippines.
The Batangas II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BATELEC II) has been selected as the pilot project site to demonstrate the effectiveness of the DNMS technology and to better understand the system configuration and operation.
“It’s a proven and tested technology. With that system, we hope that the electric cooperative that will be benefiting from this project will improve its reliability,” the NEA deputy administrator said.
The project kicked off during a meeting last January 18, 2018, participated in by representatives from the NEA, JICA and TKTK/TEPCO PG at the NEA headquarters in Quezon City. Included in the discussion were the activities to be carried out during the implementation phase of the project.
Present in the meeting were NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong, Deputy Administrator Tortola, Engineering Department manager Engr. Ferdinand Villareal, Engr. Federico Villar, Engr. Bonifacio David, and Atty. Julius Lotilla, consultant for Diplomatic Relations and Coordination Office.
Meanwhile, the NEA also signed a Record of Discussions with the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT), approving the “Project for Distribution Voltage Upgrade in Ilocos Norte.”
The document was signed by Masongsong and KIAT vice president Sang Yi Park last January 22, 2018, during a simple ceremony held at the main office of the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. (INEC) in Ilocos Norte.
Present to witness the signing were Mr. Jae Hwang Lim, president of Bosung Powertec Co., Ltd.; Mr. Jae Han Go, president of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO); and Mr. Reynaldo Lazo, Board president of INEC.
In a statement, the NEA administrator expressed the agency’s full commitment for the successful implementation of the project.
“This project will help meet increasing demand for electricity in the northern part of Ilocos Norte, as well as improve electric service reliability for INEC’s member-consumer-owners in the area,” Masongsong said.
The two-year-long project aims to support engineering, procurement and construction of a voltage upgrade distribution line in the country.
It also seeks to contribute to the industrial cooperation and exchange of industrial technology and experts in the electrification sector between the Philippines and Korea.
To ensure its successful implementation, KIAT enlisted the help of KEPCO and Bosung to work with INEC for the construction of distribution voltage upgrade in Ilocos Norte.
Tortola said the Korean government through KIAT will be spending $3 million for the project, which upgrades the Burgos Substation’s distribution feeders voltage from 13.2kV to 22.9kV, including the installation of 10MVA 69kV/22.9kV, its necessary protection and metering.
In addition, the existing line hardware and special equipment, such as automatic circuit reclosers, lightning arresters, isolation switches and transformers will be replaced to conform to the 22.9kV voltage level.