PRIVATELY OWNED National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is enhancing the capability of its engineers and technical personnel through a training program in Jinan, China ahead of upcoming big transmission projects in the Philippines, including the interconnection of the Mindanao and the Visayas power grids.

NGCP this week sent 26 engineers and technical staff from its operations and maintenance, planning and engineering, system operations, and quality and safety departments to participate in a program hosted by the company’s technical partner, the State Grid Corp. of China (SGCC).

The program, which NGCP calls “Trailblazers,” covers comprehensive training in quality and safety, high voltage direct current technology, smart substations, protection systems and online monitoring systems.

“The Trailblazers’ Program is a unique opportunity for our engineers to hone their skills and raise the bar of excellence for transmission services,” NGCP said.

“This will ensure that NGCP can keep up with the fast-paced development of the country’s economy, and make Philippine transmission more globally competitive,” it added.

The program will be held at SGCC’s State Grid Technical College in Jinan, which has conducted a similar training for NGCP staff in November 2016 and in May 2017.

The P51.7-billion Visayas-Mindanao interconnection project covers the linking of the power grids via Cebu in the Visayas and Dipolog City in Mindanao. The converter stations in Visayas and Mindanao will be located in Sibonga, Cebu and Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur, respectively.

Aside from the interconnection project, NGCP is also building the Cebu-Panay-Negros transmission backbone.

“Improvement of an outdated and aging transmission system has always been NGCP’s primary mandate. With the number of projects and technical advancements implemented by NGCP over the past eight years, it is imperative that we also keep the advancement of our people in mind,” the company said.

“Focusing on their growth and improvement, training programs like Trailblazers will help further strengthen and boost the quality and reliability of the transmission grid,” it added.

NGCP holds a 25-year concession contract to operate the country’s power transmission network. It is in charge of operating, maintaining and developing the country’s power grid.

It transmits high-voltage electricity via an interconnected system of transmission lines, towers, substations and related assets.

The company is led by its majority shareholders Henry T. Sy, Jr. and Robert G. Coyiuto, Jr. Its concession contract was awarded in 2008. — Victor V. Saulon

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