ERC seeks further comments on the draft Guidelines in monitoring of technical standards for DUs
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is inviting all interested parties to comment on the draft Guidelines on the monitoring of power quality and reliability standards for distribution utilities (DUs). The two (2) draft Guidelines have already undergone revisions to address technical issues raised in the consultations conducted with the industry participants.
Articles 3.2 and 5.2 of the Philippine Distribution Code (PDC) set power quality standards for electric DUs. Power quality refers to the quality of the voltage, including its frequency and the resulting current, which are measured in the distribution system during normal conditions. The Guidelines for power quality defines the roles of the electric distributor and its customers.
Under the draft Guidelines for power quality standards, each DU is required to maintain a power quality monitoring system on the performance of its equipments, distribution system and customer facilities. The customer causing power quality problems, however, is required to design mitigation measures to reduce the impacts of its load to the distribution system.
Article 3.3 of the PDC sets reliability standards for electric distributors. Power reliability is the ability of a power system to continuously provide the required service to customers in a specific time and in a specified environment.
The draft
Guidelines for power reliability provides reliability indices and specifications
of data inclusions and exclusions. It aims to ensure the continued dependability
of electric service to end-users by providing well-defined data for trend analysis
in assessing power reliability. Thus, it is an obligation of any DU to avoid
and prevent service interruptions to its customers and restore power supply
at the shortest time practicable, in case interruptions occur.
Reliability indices are measured thru the System Average Interruption Frequency
Index (SAIFI), System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI), and Momentary
Average Interruption Frequency Index (MAIFI). SAIFI is the average number of
interruptions per customer during the period, SAIDI is the average interruption
duration per customer during the period, and MAIFI is the average frequency
of momentary interruptions per customer during the period.
Both draft
Guidelines provide that the ERC will publish on its website the summary of quality
and reliability performances of all the DUs before the end of the first semester
of each year starting year 2007, in order to provide comparison of performances
over time for a given DU and among DUs.
“The Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) and the PDC empower the
ERC to establish and enforce technical standards for DUs to ensure that consumers
are provided with safe, efficient, and reliable electricity,” ERC Chairman
Rodolfo B. Albano, Jr. exclaimed.
“The
ERC is very thankful for the cooperation and support given by the industry participants
in analyzing the technical issues involved in the two Guidelines that affect
the interests of both the electricity providers and the customers,” Chairman
Albano added.
February 17, 2006