The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved the P449.941 million Sta. Rita-Quinapundan 69 kilovolt (kV) transmission project to improve reliability of power supply for consumers in Eastern Samar.

The project, according to the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) will “prevent overloading of the Wright substation” and will also serve as network reinforcement for the transmission system in the area. The project is targeted for completion in 2010.

TransCo filed this capital project application with the ERC in November 2007, way before the takeover of its concessionaire, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.

The regulator albeit emphasized in its ruling that the recovery of such investment shall not be done immediately, instead, it must be in TransCo’s reset process under 3rd Regulatory Period which may start by 2011.

It has likewise been directed that the facility be reclassified from ‘connection asset’ to transmission network asset.

TransCo noted the project will be looped with the existing Wright-Taft-Borongan-Quinapundan 69 kV line that supplies power to the eastern part of the province.

“Said loop will reinforce the existing transmission line and address the transmission problem in the area, such as overloading, line losses, efficiency, reliability and quality of power supply,” the company stressed.

It further emphasized that the project “aims to address the expected transmission load growth in the area in the near future.”

The company explained the construction of the line will help decongest the Wright substation, hence, decreasing the level of undesirable system losses by roughly 6.4 megawatt equivalent over five years.

“This means that the installation of a capacitor bank which is usually done to improve system losses will no longer be needed,” TransCo added.

Meanwhile, the expansion of the Sta. Rita substation entails the installation of two power circuit breakers, which include the necessary accessories and structures to accommodate termination of the outgoing line to Quinapundan.

The transmission firm will also need to replace the 10 megavolt ampere (MVA) power transformer with a 30 MVA power transformer. (MMV)