LAOAG CITY, March 14 — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has started expanding its Laoag sub-station to improve power supply in the province.
Benjamin Saraza, head of the NGCP’s Operations and Maintenance in the Ilocos Region, said the expansion program will increase Ilocos Norte’s voltage level from 115 kv to 230 kv resulting in a more reliable power system.
The program involves expansion of the substation lot covering two hectares and construction of additional transmission lines. The project is expected to be finished by 2014.
“Right now, power passes from La Union, Ilocos Sur up to Ilocos Norte.
Whenever there is power interruption anywhere between La Union and Ilocos Norte, we (also) experience power outage here,” he said.
The NGCP also plans to link up Ilocos Norte’s power grid to Tuguegarao in Cagayan Valley so that the province will have an alternate power source when there is a power line interruption from the La Union-Ilocos Sur-Ilocos Norte loop.
The upgrading of the province’s grid is also in preparation for the entry of two more wind farms in Burgos and Pagudpud towns.
The Energy Development Corp. has signified its intention to put up a 40-mw wind power plant in Pagudpud while the UPC-Asia intends to build its 86 mw wind farm in Burgos town.
Power that will be generated by the wind farms will be fed through the NGCP grid.
“At present, the grid is not capable to accommodate more power from these proposed wind farms. We are obligated to ensure a reliable transmission system when these wind farms start generating power,” Saraza said.
The NGCP grid is currently utilized by the Northwind Power Development Corp. owner of the first wind power plant in Bangui town. (ANL/CCA-PIA 1 Ilocos Norte)
