Davao Light’s digital power substation now fully optimized

ABOITIZ Power subsidiary, Davao Light and Power Co., Inc.’s digital substation in Calinan, Davao City is now fully optimized after completing its upgrade with an additional feeder.

 This digital substation was energized in July 2020 with an initial capacity of three feeders only.

 A feeder is a power line that transmits power from a distribution substation to the industries and communities it serves. Meanwhile, an electrical load is a device that consumes electrical energy and transforms it into light, heat or useful motion. In a household setting, the most common examples of electrical loads include light bulbs and appliances.

Now, after all the electrical works needed, the feeders have been upgraded and are now completed. The new substation can now be optimized with four feeders to supply load growth and as a back-up to its nearby substation. The latter allows for longer maintenance activities of the substation thus, improving reliability in the Southwestern portion of Davao Light’s franchise which covers Catalunan Pequeno up to Buda areas.

 The additional feeder will also optimize the utilization of the 33MVA power transformer and thus increase the available distribution capacity of Davao Light in the area.

 Since the area served by Calinan substation is primarily rural, it allows Davao Light to supply power to remote sitios which is in-line with the distribution utility’s plan to achieve 100% sitio electrification. Moreover, since the substation’s transformer has a component that can adjust the voltage levels whenever there is an overvoltage or undervoltage, it improves and stabilizes the voltage level in the area.

 “The completion of the digital substation will surely improve Davao Light’s efficiency and reliability of power supply,” said Engr. Enriczar Tia, assistant vice president for Engineering.

 The upgrading of the substation will provide advantages when the capacity of the power transformer is fully optimized. The substation can carry more load from adjacent substations, thus serving more customers, and prevent long durations of unscheduled or emergency power interruptions. This equates to a reliable power in the affected area.

 “Now, we can be rest assured that our facilities in the far end southwest will have reinforced reliability and capacity,” Tia added.

Digitizing a substation is just one way of improving the reliability and availability of the power supply in the city. Davao Light will continue to adapt to the emerging technologies and future trends in substations to provide stable power to the customers it serves.