NGCP commits an election-ready power grid

Before the coming national and local elections, grid operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) started to implement its contingency plan to ensure that the country’s power transmission network is geared up for the nationwide polls.

As early as February this year, the company has been in close coordination with the Department of Energy to monitor the power outlook on the day of the elections.

“We are aligning our efforts with the Department of Energy and the rest of the power industry to ensure a blackout-free May elections. As System Operator, NGCP is closely coordinating with generators to ensure sufficient power supply and reserves. The continuous flow of electricity from generators to distributors through the power grid facilities will benefit customers who depend of these power services,” NGCP said.

NGCP has also been preparing its facilities and deploying its resources to be responsive to any incident that may affect transmission services during the election period.

Some of the contingency measures put in place were the suspension of line and equipment maintenance and testing activities two weeks before and one week after election day to make sure that all facilities are on-line and available from casting to counting of the votes. In case of power interruption, the grid operator will be ready to deploy its strategically placed aircrafts, emergency restoration structures, and spare parts for faster line inspection and restoration.

NGCP will also activate its Over-all Command and Control Center in its headquarters, regional and district offices 24/7 a day before and after the elections. These command and control centers will also serve as the energy sector’s main monitoring and information centers.

On the issue of right-of-way, which has been a major problem for the company in recent months, NGCP reported “We are also expediting our right-of-way clearing operations. We want our lines to be cleared of illegally planted trees before the elections for more reliable transmission service. We are doing this with COMELEC Resolution 10067 as legal cover and assistance from the AFP, PNP, and LGUs.”

The company also recently conducted its annual Table-top Blackout Drill to simulate blackout scenarios, and review its protocols and procedures during such cases.

“This is done on a yearly basis in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao with other power industry stakeholders to reiterate roles and responsibilities during a grid-wide power interruption. This year, we give special focus on the elections because transmission service is crucial in the conduct of a clean and peaceful elections,” NGCP said.

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 the 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 Corporation led by Robert Coyiuto, Jr., and the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) as technical partner. (NGCP news)