Meralco commissions Camarin substation

MANILA, Philippines – Power utility giant Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) recently commissioned its new Camarin substation along Zabarte Road in Caloocan City, a top company official said.

Meralco executive vice president and head of the network group Ricardo Buencamino said the new facility will provide additional capacity and improve reliability of power supply to customers in the city, including nearby areas in the province of Bulacan.

The construction of the new Camarin substation is in response to the fast-growing development in the area. It is also intended to help reduce Meralco’s annual technical system loss.

Meralco said the project is one of several substation facilities it is scheduled to build as part of its capital expenditures approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) under the performance-based rate (PBR) scheme.

“Power to this new distribution substation is delivered through the subtransmission lines from Meycauayan and Novaliches substations. It has a total capacity of 83 MVA with four 34.5-kV distribution lines serving parts of Caloocan City and San Jose del Monte in Bulacan. The project significantly reduced the line exposure of the Novaliches circuit by 39 percent and will provide better voltage regulation and reliability in the areas served,” Buencamino said.

He said this will also enhance switching flexibility during contingency for adjacent distribution lines from Meycauyan, Sta. Maria and Novaliches substations.”

Some of the big customers expected to benefit from this new facility are the MWSS pumping station, Hi-Grade Feeds Corp., Zabarte Town Center, Victoria Wave industrial complex, Island Biscuit, Yee Tung Garment Manufacturing, Upson Industrial Corp., Philippine Belt Manufacturing Corp., HBC Inc., National Housing Authority, and PLDT-Camarin Exchange. – Donnabelle Gatdula