State-owned National Power Corporation (Napocor) inaugurated the San Miguel to Viga 69 kV transmission line, the 5 MVA Viga substation, and the 30 kWp Palumbanes Island solar PV hybrid system, all in Catanduanes, in its bid to improve reliability and power dispatch in the island province and increase its renewable energy resources. 

Vice President for Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) Rene Barruela said that the 23-circuit kilometer transmission line and the new substation will enhance the delivery of electricity in the northern part of the province. 

“Equipped with the latest technology, the Viga substation will significantly boost the grid’s capacity and pave the way for new power resources,” he added. 

Napocor emphasized that with the modernization of its transmission network and expansion of the substation capacities, the province’s resilience against power disruptions is strengthened, at the same time, the local grid can accommodate future growth in energy demand. 

Meanwhile, the 30 kWp Palumbanes Island solar PV-diesel hybrid system offers a sustainable energy solution for over 200 households in the off-grid area. The project also aims to lower the island’s dependence on diesel and gradually decrease fuel costs. 

Vice President for Power Engineering Services Atty. Rogel Teves said that Napocor’s RE hybrid projects in the pipeline include Rapu-rapu in Albay, Palanan in Isabela, and Cuaming in Bohol. 

“We aim to also inaugurate these facilities this year so we can reap the benefits of sustainable and clean energy solutions,” Atty. Teves said. 

Napocor, under Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, is mandated to bring electricity and associated power delivery systems to areas and communities not connected to the main grid. Currently, it operates 281 SPUG plants in the farthest islands and communities in the archipelago and manages the transmission systems of island provinces such as Palawan, Catanduanes, Masbate, Marinduque and Mindoro.