The National Electrification Administration signed agreements with Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the University of the Philippines (UP) to accelerate the country’s total electrification roadmap.
NEA administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda said the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with PhilSA allows the use of satellite technology and data to identify unserved and underserved areas to aid the agency in implementing the accelerated electrification plan.
Almeda said the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with UP involves development of grid impact study database and rural electrification planning and monitoring system using satellite and other relevant data.
“These tools will not only help in identification but also the most installation monitoring of customers. In NEA it has been our objective not only to roll out PV mainstreaming system or solar home system. We also wanted to verify and monitor matters because this will entail a lot of financial resources from the national government,” Almenda said.
“This will allow NEA to take more modernized approach with its electrification program thereby ensuring its methodic and proper implementation,” he said.
Almeda said the MOA between NEA and UP formalizes the parties’ joint undertaking to provide electric cooperatives with various training and technology advisory programs in order to strengthen their performance and develop more reliable distribution services to the public.
PhilSA director general Joel Marciano Jr. welcomed the collaboration with the NEA as space capabilities are increasingly being used in a number of applications.
“Space science and tech applications particularly images and data from satellites are being harnessed to address challenges. Much can still be done. We are honored to be a partner of NEA in the accelerated electrification plan. Satellite-based technology can contribute measurements from the vantage point of outer space on the identification of potential household connections and locations,” Marciano said.
He said NEA could verify and monitor efforts to energize the country in achieving more cost efficiencies and towards the goal of 100-percent electrification.