The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said it will further invest in power substation improvements nationwide after spending a total of P6.47 billion for such type of projects since 2009.
NGCP said improvements introduced by the company were filed with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
It said many of these were implemented from 2016 onwards but have not yet received provisional approval from the regulatory body.
The company said given the operational need, it proceeded with the implementation of these projects, setting aside for later, the issue on recovery approvals from the ERC.
“Our priority has and will always be doing what is best for the public. Financial considerations can take a back seat and be threshed out later… We hope to correct the impression that the consumers are somehow shortchanged with how rates are computed.
Our commitment has never wavered: we serve the public, and we work within the legal and regulatory framework of our concession and franchise,” NGCP said in a statement.
The company said since taking over transmission operations in 2009, it invested P3.29 billion in upgrades across 15 of its substations and converter stations to cater to the increasing load growth and reliability of the system.
NGCP said that from 2018 to 2021, it also replaced 33 power transformers and improved the efficiency and reliability of substation operations alongside 12 transformers in North Luzon, four in the National Capital Region, five in South Luzon, three in Visayas and nine in Mindanao with a total equipment cost of $37.7 million or P1.8 billion.
Meanwhile, 14 spare power transformers worth $14.6 million or P764 million were delivered to six substations in North Luzon, five in South Luzon, one in Visayas and two in Mindanao.
The company also procured mobile transformer units that can be moved, installed and energized within the region in less than 36 hours to restore power serving specific localities with four mobile transformer units worth $12.1 million or P612 million delivered to substations in Mexico in Pampanga, Daraga in Albay, Cadiz in Bacolod and in South Cotabato. -Jed Macapagal
