KAELCO COMMISIONS NEW 20/25 MVA SUBSTATION

KAELCO formally commissions its newly installed 20/25-MVA Substation on September 9, 2022 at its Main Office in Callagdao, Bulanao, Tabuk City, Kalinga after series of testing. The said substation initially supplies Feeder 2 (Tabuk towards Upper Kalinga and Apayao) and Feeder 3 (Tabuk towards Rizal) while the old 10/12.5 MVA for the meantime will be retained to supply Feeder 1 or the urban Tabuk City (Bulanao to Dagupan). Soon, all the feeders will be transferred to the new substation and the 10-MVA unit will be relieved and relocated (pending the on-going engineering study to determine the optimal relocation site) somewhere in municipality of either Pinukpuk, Kalinga or Conner, Apayao as part of the cooperative’s effort in improving the persistent under voltage thereat and to reduce system loss.

Overall, the 20/25-MVA Substation (Right) is the third substation installed, operated and maintained by the cooperative since its incorporation on May 17, 1977. The first was the 5/6.25-MVA Substation officially energized in August 22, 1979 installed on the lot donated by the Provincial Government Unit of Kalinga and where KAELCO now maintains its Main Office. It was funded through a PhP44.2M loan initially extended by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to KAELCO to acquire the substation and construct its distribution lines.

The second was the 10/12.5-MVA Substation (Left) constructed beside the 32 year old 5/6.25-MVA Substation and was energized in February 25, 2012. However, its commissioning was unfortunately spoiled by an infamous fire incident that engulfed and destructed the 5/6.25 unit before the commissioning the then on-going installation of the 10/12.5-MVA Substation. The fire explosion happened on February 11, 2012 amidst the celebration of the province’s Ullalim Festival and the culmination of the Regional Annual Sports Meet or the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletics Association (CARAA).

Rev. Bishop Prudencio P. Andaya Jr. officiated the mass and blessing of the new substation followed by the ribbon cutting through the representatives of the Office of the Congressman (Mr. Ruben Tuazon) and Office of the City Mayor (Mr. Enrique Baliang) and witnessed by the Board of the Directors (headed by Pres. Izaac P. Baliang Jr.), Project Supervisor/Acting General Manager (Engr. Tito R. Lingan), the project contractor (CEPALCO Energy Services Corp.), employees and visitors.