SUBIC EnerZone Corporation (SEZ) completed its Distribution Management Services Agreement (DMSA) project Improvement of the New Subic Substation, otherwise known as the Maritan Substation, last March 31.

After 9 months of painstaking efforts, two take-off structures, two cable trenches, and four additional switchgears were installed inside the said facility.

            The project aimed to simplify existing feeder lines in the Subic Power plant switching station and at the Maritan Substation. This will greatly improve reliability and flexibility for the zone’s power distribution system.

            Various switching schemes and transferring of loads can be done to the newly constructed take-off structures. If it becomes necessary to remove a circuit breaker from service for maintenance or repairs, the integrity of the circuit operation is still maintained and power interruptions in any feeder line due to switching can be eliminated.

            The civil works of the project was done by Jethrock Construction Corporation and the electrical works was done by the Power System Electric Cooperative (PSECO) and Jervis Electric Corporation.

            The project went through a lot of heavy rain and unpredictable weather from the start but the SEZ team pushed through. Pioneered by Eng’r Aaron Berin, now general manager of Aboitiz Energy Solutions (AESI), and Eng’r Ross Pangilinan, it was turned over and was finished with Eng’r Danny Caro and Eng’r Jerome Reyes at the helm.

            During the final phase, SEZ T&D supervisor Dodong Gumba supervised the transfer of 10 overhead feeder lines of the old Subic switching station and of the old Maritan Substation take-off. SEZ engineers, technicians and contractors worked straight days to finish the project.

            Old existing pole accessories and wooden poles were removed and were recovered. New concrete poles were erected and pole accessories were installed. New 336.4 and 795 ACSR wires were stringed to upgrade the existing lines. Bundled 336.4 MCM ACSR wire tie lines of each substation were replaced with 795 MCM ACSR wires.

            The installation and retrofitting of four additional switchgears were done by Jervis.

The setting of relays and transfer of switchgear accessories were done by the Substation and Electrical Equipment Department (SEED) headed by Eng’r James Binoya. They also installed 4/0 copper wires for grounding connections between the new take-off structures and cable trenches, and connected it to the existing grounding system of the substation.