NGCP energizes new transmission line in Mindanao

By Lenie Lectura – July 25, 2018
from Business Mirror

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has energized the newly constructed Aurora-Polanco 138-kiloVolt (kV) transmission lines.

The Aurora-Polanco 138kV project is one of the NGCP’s initiatives to reinforce power transmission services in the Zamboanga del Norte area. The project is meant to mitigate congestion and voltage issues in the area and ensure the integrity of the entire grid.

The Aurora-Polanco 138kV transmission line 1 was energized last June 20 and line 2 on July 22.

Dipolog City, Dapitan City, and the municipality of Polanco are three important load centers in the Zamboanga del Norte area, which have recorded increasing power consumption year after year.

These areas have been suffering from a recent series of voltage fluctuations as only one dated 69kV transmission line is able to carry power to these areas all the way from Aurora in Zamboanga del Sur.  The new 138kV line will not only supplement the old line, but will enable more power to be transmitted to Zamboanga del Norte, all the way to Misamis Occidental, effectively ensuring the continuous and reliable supply of power to the entire area.

The NGCP also simultaneously upgraded its Aurora and Polanco Substations to accommodate twice the amount of power flowing into its facilities.

“As we continue to improve the country’s transmission grid, we also intensify our focus on the development of Mindanao as an integral part of the country’s growth,” the NGCP said.

“The energization of the Aurora-Polanco 138kV Transmission line is another step towards decreasing power interruptions, mitigating the recent series of voltage fluctuations in the area, and ensuring the best quality of power that flows into homes, businesses, and industries in Northern Mindanao,” it added.

Apart from the Aurora-Polanco 138kV, the NGCP is also completing its Mindanao 230kV Backbone project, which aims to further strengthen the entire Mindanao grid upon the entry of new generating plants, and the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP), which was declared as an Energy Project of National Significance by the Department of Energy, and is slated to be completed by 2020.