NGCP restores earthquake-damaged Kidapawan Substation ahead of schedule
Local News • 15:00 PM Tue Nov 12, 2019
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NGCP
DAVAO CITY - The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has announced today that it has restored its Kidapawan Substation on Sunday, November 10, ahead of its November 17 target energization.
Michael Ortega Ligalig, speakign for NGCP-Davao, said the substation is now ready to fully accommodate power from Mt. Apo Geothermal Power Plant (MAGPP) to the Mindanao grid once it goes online.
The Kidapawan Substation suffered damages to its high voltage substation equipment and control room facilities due to the magnitude 6.5 earthquake traced by Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to Tulunan, Cotabato last October 31.
Access to the substation was also initially hindered by landslides around the area, necessitating rescue of substation personnel by chopper.
Despite the damages to facilities, supply of power consumers in Kidapawan and nearby areas area was uninterrupted as NGCP was able to shift and transfer power supply through its Tacurong Substation.
As soon as the situation in the area was deemed safe and passable, NGCP deployed its personnel to assess the substation damage and implement a restoration plan.
This plan involved clearing of debris; design and installation of scaffolding/support structures; removal of damaged high-voltage equipment; and installation, testing, and evaluation of new equipment.
“We are pleased to report that with the collective efforts of our Mindanao personnel and additional line crews from Visayas and South Luzon, we were able to energize Kidapawan Substation and Kidapawan-Matanao 138kV Line 1 and 2 one week ahead of schedule. Our customers can be assured that we will continue monitoring the situation in the area,” the NGCP said in separate statement.
NGCP defers to the DOE on the status of generation, sub-transmission lines owned by the electric cooperatives, and distribution lines.
NGCP is a Filipino-led, privately owned company in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid, led by majority shareholders Henry Sy, Jr. and Robert Coyiuto, Jr.