DIPOLOG CITY, Zamboanga del Norte–The Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative (Zaneco) will bring to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) what it describes as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ (NGCP) continued “disregard and indifference” to complaints on the persistent severe fluctuations of voltage.
Zaneco General Manager Adelmo Laput said on Monday he has ordered the local power utility’s Institutional Services Division (ISD) to gather complaints and evidence of appliances damaged by severe fluctuations. He said these will be attached to the complaint against the power transmission company.
“Even our radio transmitter and some air-conditioning units were damaged, and all our letters asking for explanation and what (NGCP) has been doing to mitigate the power supply situation landed on deaf ears,” Laput complained.
Laput said he already sent three letters to NGCP OIC-President Anthony Almeda, but the latter has never responded.
In his letter dated April 12, 2018, Laput said recurring voltage fluctuations has been observed last year and again since April this year.
In an attached document, Zaneco showed detailed recurrence of voltage fluctuations that dropped to as low as 119 volts.
Laput said this is a violation of the Philippine Grid Code, under whose provision says: “The fluctuation at any Connection Point with a fluctuating demand shall not exceed one percent (1 percent) of the nominal voltage for every step change, which may occur repetitively. Any large voltage fluctuation other than a step change may be allowed up to a level of three percent (3 percent) provided that this does not constitute a risk to the Grid or to the System of any User.”
The Department of Energy (DOE) and ERC also sent letters to NGCP ordering it to respond to Zaneco’s complaints. The two agencies also received no reply from NGCP.
In August last year, 1-CARE partylist Rep. Carlos Roman Uybarreta, sponsored a resolution directing NGCP to immediately resolve the frequent voltage fluctuations in this province.
NGCP Communications Officer for Mindanao Elizabeth Ladaga admitted in a recent radio interview here that there is indeed voltage fluctuation in areas served by Zaneco and other neighboring electric cooperatives.
Asked what the resolution to the problem is, Ladaga replied: “When we utilize our new sub-station in Municipality of Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte, that should be energized by newly installed 138 kilovolt (kv) line.”
A top NGCP engineer in Mindanao said they hope to utilize the 138-KV line and the new sub-station this month to address the problem.
Until then, NGCP will have to rely on the old, unreliable 69-KV line and the sub-station in municipality of Molave, Zamboanga del Sur that has been in use for decades now. (Gualberto Laput/PNA)
