Razon energy utility upgrades substations in Iloilo

The Razon Group’s More Electric and Power Corp. completed the rehabilitation of the Molo Substation in Iloilo City to improve power services within its franchise area. More Power president and CEO Roel Castro said the utility undertook the P60.6-million improvement project to address incidents when equipment malfunction.

The substation has been operational for 23 years without proper maintenance.

“This upgrade is essential not only to meet the increasing demand for electricity due to population growth and commercial expansion in the area, but also extends the life of the transformer and improves its performance using advanced technology to ensure stable and efficient power distribution,” Castro said in a statement on Tuesday.

The utility started working on the substation upgrade in July last year and completed it on Sunday, with EEI Power Corp. as the contractor.

A mobile substation provided temporary power to keep the electricity supply running smoothly while the rehabilitation project was ongoing.

The project sought to make the substation more reliable and automated. It involved replacing outdated and unreliable equipment, including the control system, switchyard and other important devices.

It also included a reconfigured in-out system, significantly reducing the risk of power outages, especially during peak demand or when the usage of electricity in the area is at its highest.

More Power said the system allows for flexibility, enabling power to be easily rerouted through the supervisory control and data acquisition system, or the heart of an entire power system, if a transmission line segment suffers a problem.

“As a result, any power interruption will be minimized, greatly enhancing service reliability for both residential and commercial customers. The integration of this modern substation into Iloilo City’s power system also allows for smarter load management, ensuring that More Power can swiftly respond to fluctuations in demand,” said Armil Logarta, head of project management and development at More Power.

More Power will now relocate the mobile substation to the Mandurriao Substation to supply electricity temporarily while this site undergoes its own rehabilitation starting this month.

As part of More Power’s five-year development plan, a substantial load from the Molo Substation will be transferred to the new Arevalo Substation early next year to enhance power distribution across the city.

A subsidiary of Razon-led Prime Strategic Holdings Inc., More Power holds a 25-year legislative franchise to provide electricity services in Iloilo City.