National Grid Corp commends Cebu IPP

MANILA, Philippines - The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the operator of the country’s transmission highway, commended Global Business Power Corp./Toledo Power Corp. recently for its help in the recent Visayas blackout.

NGCP president Walter W. Brown said the Metrobank-led power firm played as a proactive partner of NGCP when it voluntarily offered its assistance in the power restoration during the April 25 widespread system disturbance in the Visayas grid. 

GBPC/TPC is an independent power producer in Sangi, Toledo City, Cebu province.

The Visayas grid experienced a 10-hour power outage on April 25 due to a technical problem with a 230-kV power line in Leyte, which transmits power from Tabango, Leyte to Cebu using submarine power cables.

At that critical time when NGCP was undertaking restoration works to bring back electricity as soon as possible, GBPC/TPC immediately offered to provide blackstart power to re-energize the backbone transmission line.  

Blackstart is the process of recovery from a partial or total system blackout using a generating unit with the capability to start and synchronize with the system without an external power supply.

A simple ceremony was hosted by NGCP on May 14, 2009 at the Marco Polo Hotel, Cebu City to present the plaque of commendation to GBPC/TPC. 

The awarding ceremony was attended by NGCP AVP for Visayas System Operations Crispin D. Lamayan, VP for Power Reliability Venusto D. Hamoy Jr., special assistant to the president Roel Z. Castro, and Brown.

GBPC/TPC station manager Emilio H. Javier, president Jesus N. Alcordo, and executive vice president Silvano C. Zanoria were also present during the ceremony. – Donnabelle Gatdula