NEA, JICA pilot smart grid technology in Batangas

MANILA, Philippines — State-run National Electrification Administration (NEA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have piloted a smart grid technology that is seen to improve the reliability of a Batangas cooperative’s distribution system and prevent power interruptions.

The JICA-backed Distribution Automation System (DAS) was recently commissioned in Batangas II Electric Cooperative Inc. (BATELEC II), which was selected as the pilot site to demonstrate the effectiveness of the techno-logy.

The DAS technology is designed to reduce the duration of power outage and improve the distribution system reliability through automation.

BATELEC II general manager Octavious Mendoza said power reliability is one of their perennial problems.

“We hope that if this will become successful, we can replicate this in all our feeders all over our franchise area, and so we can compete globally with other distribution utilities,” he said.

JICA tapped the expertise of TEPCO Power Grid and its affiliated firm Takaoka Toko Co., Ltd (TKTK) to work with NEA and BATELEC II for the pilot implementation of the DAS.

TKTK president Toshiro Takebe said they have introduced the DAS in Japan and are bringing it overseas.

 “I hope the significance of this system will be well noticed by prompt fault location, remote switching, and reducing outage duration,” he said.

NEA engineering department manager Ferdinand Villareal said the project is seen as an essential tool to help electric cooperatives (ECs) improve their electricity service.

“This technology from Japan is hoped to effectively address specific technological challenges of ECs that affect their operational efficiency, more particularly the distribution system reliability,” he said.

The project was implemented under a JICA collaboration program with the private sector to disseminate Japanese technologies for electricity distribution system and management in the Philippines.