State-owned National Power Corporation (Napocor) said it inaugurated the San Miguel to Viga 69 kV transmission line, the 5 MVA Viga substation and the 30-kilowattpeak Palumbanes Island solar PV hybrid system in Catanduanes province.
These projects would improve reliability and power dispatch in the island province and increase its renewable energy resources, it said.
Napocor vice president for Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) Rene Barruela said the 23-circuit kilometer transmission line and the new substation would enhance the delivery of electricity in the northern part of Catanduanes
“Equipped with the latest technology, the Viga substation will significantly boost the grid’s capacity and pave the way for new power resources,” he said in a statement.
Napocor said the modernization of its transmission network and expansion of the substation capacities would strengthen the province’s resilience against power disruptions and accommodate future growth in energy demand.
Meanwhile, the 30 kWp Palumbanes Island solar PV-diesel hybrid system offers a sustainable energy solution for over 200 households in the off-grid area. The project also aims to lower the island’s dependence on diesel and gradually decrease fuel costs.
Napocor vice president for power engineering services Rogel Teves said the company’s renewable energy hybrid projects in the pipeline include Rapu-rapu in Albay, Palanan in Isabela, and Cuaming in Bohol.
“We aim to also inaugurate these facilities this year for the corporation to reap the benefits of sustainable and clean energy solutions,” Teves said.
Napocor, under Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, is mandated to bring electricity and associated power delivery systems to areas and communities not connected to the main grid.
It operates 281 SPUG plants in the farthest islands and communities in the archipelago and manages the transmission systems of island provinces such as Palawan, Catanduanes, Masbate, Marinduque and Mindoro.