NGCP completes Tayabas project

National Grid Corp. of the Philippines has completed the expansion of the Tayabas substation in Quezon, which is seen to help ensure the reliability of the transmission system even with increased capacity.

“Improving and investing in the Tayabas facility is crucial to our operations because the substation serves as the link of the Bicol grid to South Luzon and Manila grids. If the substation fails, many provinces and industries will be affected,” said NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Perez-Alabanza.

NGCP said it had completed the setting up of a 600-megavolt ampere (MVA) transformer. This was in addition to the three existing transformers at the substation.

According to NGCP, the P290-million substation expansion was done in anticipation of additional capacities coming from power plants in Quezon and Bicol region. The project would also allow NGCP to maintain the so-called N-1 contingency, which refers to the ability of the power grid to sustain its integrity in case of loss of a major system component.

Also included in the expansion project was the establishment of bus bar and fire protection systems, which are essential in maintaining the security and integrity of the substation equipment.

The bus bar is a transmission line component made of aluminum or copper and supported by insulators, which connects a series of transmission line circuits with transformers and other substation devices like circuit-breakers and switches.

NGCP is a privately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid. It transmits high-voltage electricity through the so-called electricity superhighways that included the interconnected system of transmission lines and towers, substations and related assets.