Quality power supply for APEC: PPL

PNG Power will provide quality power supply for the APEC Summit in Port Moresby next month.

Acting Managing Director Carolyn Blacklock reaffirmed that the Port Moresby transmission and distribution teams were working hard for quality supply and are ready for APEC.

Manager Pom Transmission, Jeffrey Agona, is a veteran employee of over 36 years’ experience in both the Ramu and POM grids. He explained the important role substations in particular have in providing quality power supply to customers and the initiatives underway to polish up the substations prior to APEC.

The Statcom, which automatically manages voltage fluctuations at Boroko, has been out of service for some time. The highly technical, expensive device suffers from exposure to dust at Boroko and Agona and his team are installing dust protection screens in readiness for the replacement Statcom electronic card before the end of October 2018.

“We are using APEC as a motivation to step up to perfect supply. This year, the Port Moresby Grid has really lifted its performance but we need to be even better and the APEC event is giving us all the extra reason to do better during the event and maintain the very high quality of power as well,” Agona said.

He added that under the current leadership, he is seeing a much greater interest in the transmission, substation and distribution assets and the team, compared to the past.

“For too long it has all been about generation, about power stations and the real backbone of the company has been forgotten,” he said.

Blacklock stated there was adequate generation capacity but the company is doing some investments and improvements in the substations to deliver better supply.

“The Boroko and Konedobu substations play an important role in the distribution of power supply throughout Port Moresby and with some minor improvements, we can do better.

“A single electronic card for the StatCom costs USD$40,000 (K120,000) and we are purchasing a new one so that we get the StatCom online before the APEC summit next month,” she stated.

“The substations are the beating heart of PNG Power and we need to take more pride in them.

“I have asked my leadership team to take better care of the technology but also to make the substation sites tidier, and clean them up to outwardly show how we care about electricity supply. It matters to be disciplined and have our sites neat and tidy.

“We will also get the StatCom for Lae and Madang back online before the end of this year and investigating and installing a completely new device for Mount Hagen.

“We will move offices and staff members from the National Office at Hohola to these substations so they also monitor and maintain our substations on a daily basis. This includes maintaining the fence, removing rubbish and keeping our substations and compounds neat so we get the confidence from the public and our customers.

“To date, our generation capacity for Port Moresby is at approximately 165MW while the highest load demand from customers is approximately 118MW. In Port Moresby, we have about 40MW excess generation capacity which should cater for the small load increases during the APEC summit.

“Forecast for next month November is around 120.5MW with normal business in Port Moresby. We do not expect any unexpected interruptions at the meeting and accommodation venues. We have dedicated generation, transmission, distribution teams on standby at APEC meeting sites to respond to any unexpected outages. 

“Your power company is confident and ready to provide quality and reliable supply during the APEC summit. We want our country to be proud of our small but important role,” Blacklock said.

(Jeffrey Agona, Carolyn Blacklock, Chris Luther and Billy Ambotane checking the Boroko substation)

Author: 
Press release