NGCP completes Laoag switchyard

MANILA, Philippines - The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has completed its 230-kilovolt switchyard at its substation in Laoag City in Ilocos Norte, the company said yesterday.

The substation, situated on a 3.5-hectare lot, is part of NGCP’s San Esteban-Laoag 230-kV Transmission Project 2, which involves the construction of 210 circuit kilometers of transmission lines from San Esteban to Laoag and the expansion and upgrade of two major substations.

These are the San Esteban substations in Ilocos Sur and Laoag substations in Ilocos Norte.

The double-circuit line from San Esteban to Laoag Substation will transmit power generated from the wind farms in Ilocos Norte into the Luzon grid.

Furthermore, NGCP said this would strengthen the transmission corridor in the Ilocos area, and comply with the N-1 contingency criterion required under the Philippine Grid Code.

The N-1 contingency requirement under the Philippine Grid Code refers to the ability of the grid to withstand the loss of a major system component with minimal disruption to the grid.

NGCP president and CEO Henry Sy Jr. earlier visited the Laoag Substation to switch-on a 300-MVA transformer that is also part of the project.

The Laoag Substation is the northernmost facility of NGCP that transmits electricity generated from new renewable energy projects such as the Burgos wind project of Energy Development Corp., and the North Luzon Renewable Energy Corp.

 “NGCP recognizes the importance of the Laoag substation as the looping point of the transmission corridor in North Luzon. We will do everything possible to strengthen our facilities here, and improve the reliability of the entire Luzon grid for the benefit of all our power customers,” Sy said.