NGCP upgrades facilities
By Lenie Lectura – September 8, 2020
from Business Mirror
The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has moved to modernize its facilities to make inspection activities, particularly during emergency restoration activities, faster.
The grid operator said Tuesday that 3 of its helicopters are now equipped with high definition photo and video cameras with gimbal stabilizers, infrared scanning, and UV detection equipment to monitor, inspect, and evaluate the condition of transmission lines and equipment, particularly those inaccessible due to terrain and environmental restrictions.
With these helicopters, NGCP can assess, immediately identify, and deploy personnel and equipment. NGCP said this is crucial after typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other natural or man-made calamities. NGCP began using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) or drone technology in 2019. With its high definition photo and video capabilities, transmission line inspections are efficiently completed within a shorter amount of time, in contrast to the previous practice of climbing transmission towers.
The company said it has 3 currently in use and will continue to rollout the use of drones around the country in the coming years. It said that 45 of these are scheduled for procurement. The grid operator said it is also preparing to introduce a Central Control and Monitoring System (CCMS) to remotely operate its substations. The system will comprise of real-time monitoring software and hardware, which will be used for the acquisition, collection, monitoring, and analysis of power data and equipment condition.
By operating the CCMS, NGCP said it will be able to pilot unmanned substations, effectively improving the operational performance of its facilities and provide greater flexibility for expansion.
NGCP said its substations are also equipped with anti-flooding and fire blocking systems. Critical facilities such as the High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) buildings in Ormoc and Naga, which connect the Luzon and Visayas Grids, were also refurbished to make them more resilient and to protect them against possible damage brought about by typhoons and other natural and man-made calamities.
“One of NGCP’s goals is to bring the Philippine power grid to a world-class status in terms of operational resiliency while employing the latest technological advancements. We are also equipping our personnel with the necessary skills and tools to efficiently use and operate these new technologies to provide the country with quality, reliable, and sustainable power transmission services,” the company said.
NGCP is a Filipino-led, privately owned company in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid, led by majority shareholders and Vice Chairman of the Board Henry Sy, Jr. and Co-Vice Chairman Robert Coyiuto, Jr.
