Major components of P350-M Subic power system rehab completed

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Alfredo C. Antonio yesterday announced the completion of major works for the P350-million project to rehabilitate and upgrade the freeports’ supply system facilities which was installed when Subic was still an American naval base.

Antonio said the upgrading is a major component of the power supply privatization project of Subic Enerzone, a consortium of Aboitiz Equity Venture and Mirant Philippines, which has taken the more than 40-year-old power supply system here in Subic.

"Subic is aiming to offer the best quality service and cheap power rate compared to the other economic zones in the country," Antonio told The STAR shortly after meeting with top officials of Subic Enerzone.

Aside from getting a reliable and high-quality power distribution services to put Subic in a competitive advantage to entice more investors, the SBMA will also earn P40 million annually from the power privatization scheme, Antonio said.

The privatization agreement was instituted during the term of former SBMA Chairman Felicito C. Payumo. The privatization of Subic’s power utilities now serves as a model in other areas of the country, it was learned.

Subic Enerzone chairman Erramon Aboitiz said the company is committed to provide its customers the power supply that is not only more affordable but also of "high quality and reliability service".

Aboitiz also announced that Subic Enerzone would be introducing a high-technology system called Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), a computerized control equipment placed in different sub-stations to monitor power supply output in the Freeport zone.

Subic Enerzone is also installing new computer systems for meter reading and billing, work order management, and automated mapping and facilities management, he added.

Among the completed rehabilitation projects are the rehabilitation of the Remy Field sub-station that supplies power around the Central Business District here, personnel training for "live works" including acquisition of tools and equipment, and replacement of old meters that resulted to the reduction of power losses from 14.6 percent down to 9.9 percent.

The power company is also completing the installation of an Overhead Transmission Line covering a 4.5-kilometer distance from the CBD area up to the Cubic Point going to the Subic Bay International Airport.

Subic Enerzone’s partner, Mirant Phils., represented by its vice-president for business development Sonny Malaca, said that they will start next month the underwater laying of submarine cable that will provide a steady supply of quality power in Grande Island, which is now being developed into a world-class island resort.

Once completed, estimates showed that major manufacturing companies like Wistron Infocomm Phils. (formerly Acer) would save more than P700,000 in power bills, while non-industrial establishments like the Legenda Hotel and the Subic Bay Yacht Club would save as much as P420,000 and P184,000 respectively per month.