Monday, October 06, 2008 8 power firms get aid from Korea
EIGHT local electric cooperatives are receiving donations from Korea Electric Power Company (Kepco) as part of its efforts to help upgrade and ensure power supply reliability in the country.
The donation is made though the assistance of the National Electrification Administration (NEA), which regulates the country's electric cooperatives.
NEA has sent a team composed of engineers Ferdinand Villareal, Henrietta Maramot, and Joseph Sangalang to Korea on August 18 to 22 to conduct site inspection.
The team assisted the three electric coops, namely Negros Oriental I Electric Cooperative Inc. (Noreco I), Isabela I Electric Cooperative Inc. (Iselco I), and Samar II Electric Cooperative Inc. (Samelco II) in the technical evaluation of the 69 KV substation equipment donated by the Kepco.
Apart from the equipment donated by Kepco, NEA is also providing credit assistance amounting to P24 million to the electric coops for the refurbishment and/or reconditioning, as well as freight and shipping charges of the 69 KV substation equipment that include circuit breakers, power transformers and other accessories.
Kepco is in the process of upgrading its facilities and will be retiring a number of equipment and other accessories.
The electric cooperatives that were chosen to be the recipient of the Kepco equipment are Samelco I, Iselco I, Noreco I, Northern Samar Electric Cooperative, Capiz Electric Cooperative, Iloilo Electric Cooperative I, Antique Electric cooperative, and Tarlac Electric Cooperative II.
The electric coops formalized agreements with Powertec International Corporation, the Korean company hired or contracted by Kepco for the reconditioning works on the donated equipment.
The donated equipment is estimated to serve the needs of electric coops for 10 to 20 years given proper maintenance.
Korea's largest power distributor, Kepco supplies 95 percent of its power needs. It is involved in power generation, distribution, and transmission. It offers a power rate equivalent to P3.50 per kilowatt-hour.
It invested over US$1 billion in its international operations, including the Philippines, in 2006.
Kepco's Philippine operations include the Kepco Philippines Corporation, which operates the 650-megawatt (MW) Malaya Thermal Power Plant in Barangay Malaya, Pilillia Rizal, and the Kepco Ilijan Corporation, which operates the 1,200 MW Ilijan Combined Cycle Power Plant in Ilijan, Batangas. (MSN/Sunnex)
