By Alfonso T. Ruda
DIPOLOG CITY - On
its way to fulfilling its mission of becoming the best transmission company in
Southeast Asia, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP)
surpassed the target limit for frequency of tripping (FOT) set by the Energy
Regulatory Commission (ERC) for the year 2012.
The FOT is a corporate
performance indicator set by the ERC that measures the number of times the
high-voltage transmission lines tripped or experienced forced outages for every
100 circuit kilometers (ckm). The ERC established the indicator to ensure
minimal disturbance on power delivery service and to continuously improve the
transmission system operator’s facilities. NGCP’s goal is to lower the FOT for
the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao grids.
For the year 2012, the
target FOT for Luzon Grid was set at 4.63 trippings per 100ckm, the Visayas
Grid at 5.7 per 100ckm, and the Mindanao Grid at 5.52 per 100ckm. Having
successfully reinforced the crucial lines and continuously improving the rest
of its facilities, NGCP was able to reduce the frequency of trippings to 1.959
for Luzon, 1.081 for Visayas, and 2.595 for Mindanao, respectively. This
represents a 58% improvement over the ERC-set acceptable levels for Luzon, 81%
for Visayas, and 53% for Mindanao.
NGCP Spokesperson Atty.
Cynthia P. Alabanza confirmed the actual FOT ratings. ”NGCP’s operations are
centered on strengthening the transmission backbone that is why we strive hard
year on year to lower our FOTs. Our FOT ratings, which are considerably better
than the acceptable levels set by ERC, are a result of the continuous upgrade,
expansion, and reinforcement of our facilities. Our customers and the public
can be assured that NGCP will continue to improve its performance and exceed
the targets set by the ERC to provide more reliable and efficient power
transmission service.”
GCP 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.
NGCP’s regular maintenance
activities and expansion projects aim to enhance the reliability and quality of
electricity delivered to grid-connected customers like generators, distributors,
and large industries. (FPG/NGCP/ATR/PIA9)