THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said Monday that it will start testing a central control and monitoring system (CCMS) that will automate parts of the transmission network.
In a statement, the NGCP said that it is staging pilot tests in its Cagayan de Oro and Cebu substations. By 2025, it hopes to equip 21 substations with the CCMS.
The CCMS contains real-time monitoring software which will collect and analyze power data and equipment conditions. Using a CCMS-equipped facility will allow the NGCP to remotely operate unmanned substations and improve the operational performance of transmission facilities.
The company said that the CCMS is part of a planned transition to smart grid technology. Smart grids integrate modern hardware and digital software to automate power systems.
In a circular issued in February 2020, the Department of Energy required the transmission network provider to develop a smart grid deployment plan and road map which includes “transmission system enhancement, wide area monitoring systems, automation and network optimization and long-term interconnection wide transmission expansion plans, among others.”
The smart grid road map will form part of the transmission development plan (TDP), which is updated annually.
Last month, the NGCP said that the latest version of the TDP will cover 2021 to 2040. — Angelica Y. Yang
