NGCP tends to power market customers

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has started establishing metering services as well as an online site that will help grid customers in the operation of the Interim Mindanao Electricity Market (IMEM).

For customers directly connected to its grid, NGCP offers revenue metering facilities that are compatible with the wholesale electricity spot market (WESM).

The transmission service provider and grid operator has also developed an online program for the submission and management of load customers’ capacity nomination, generation scheduling, and data provision.

NGCP said that among its 15 grid-connected customers with 36 metering points, it has already installed 26 IMEM-ready meters.

“The biggest challenge is [the] Agus 6 complex where five metering facilities still need to be installed,” said Emmanuel M. Sotomil, NGCP metering services head.

He said large instrument transformers would have to be hauled, mounted on pedestals, then tapped to high-voltage overhead lines.

NGCP has been coordinating with National Power Corp. (Napocor), owner and operator of the Agus 6 complex, because the lines must be de-energized while some of the plant generating units need to be shut down for the installation to be completed.

Among its 53 grid-connected load customers (i.e., distribution utilities and nondistribution utilities) with 184 metering points, NGCP said it has installed 180 IMEM-ready meters.

The NGCP website (https://imem.ngcp.ph) may be used to upload and download generators’ and load customers’ capacity nomination data and schedules for the use of all players in the electricity market in Mindanao.

Last January, the DOE ordered WESM operator Philippine Electricity Market Corp. to develop and implement an interim electricity market specifically designed for the Mindanao grid, which has been experiencing brownouts due to a shortfall in power supply.

IMEM is scheduled to start commercial operations on Sept. 26. Trial operation has been ongoing since August 26.