National Grid, Pagasa ink info-sharing agreement

MANILA, Philippines - The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) have entered into an agreement for a real-time weather information sharing under the so-called Storm Tracking Alert and Relay System (STARS). 

The system is expected to pave the way for the quick implementation of contingency plans and activities that will help prepare for and mitigate the adverse effects of weather disturbances on both transmission facilities and the power customers.

Pagasa, the country’s main weather information gateway dedicated to provide meteorological, hydrological, climatological, astronomical and other scientific information and services, has committed to fully assist NGCP in its efforts to prepare for weather-related contingency activities.

Included in the assistance services are tropical cyclone update, hourly weather data from synoptic, agromet, Doppler radar, hourly update of weather satellite images from various sources and numerical weather prediction model outputs every eight-hour period. Data on the monitored rainfall and water level of dams and rivers will also be provided.

NGCP, on the other hand, will be providing back-up communication link to the Pagasa data center to transmit real-time hydro-meteorological data from flood prone-areas, particularly in the Magat River Basin and Bicol areas.

This involves enabling NGCP’s subscription to the weather and hydrometeorological data to support NGCP’s Integrated Typhoon Action Plan (ITAP).

This contract and partnership between NGCP and Pagasa is a giant step towards more enhanced and responsive contingency measures for both companies which in the end will benefit many people and may even help save lives and properties,” NGCP president Walter Brown said.

NGCP, the sole operator of the electric power grid in the country, continually institutes contingency measures to address various emergencies such as widespread power interruptions caused by typhoons, lightning and other inclement weather conditions that affect the delivery of electricity to power customers.

Pagasa Administrator Dr. Prisco Nilo said the “sharing of real-time data and information for disaster mitigation offers a high return on investment and this is the direction which Pagasa has committed in response to the thrust of the World Meteorological Organization, for which the Philippines is a member state.”