The National Electrification Administration (NEA) signed two separate memoranda of understanding (MOU) with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the University of the Philippines (UP) to collaborate on various plans, programs, and projects aimed at accelerating its total electrification plan.
The partnership was formalized in a signing ceremony held Thursday, 18 January 2024, between NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda, PhilSA Director General Dr. Joel Joseph Marciano, Jr., and UP President Angelo Jimenez at the NEA office in Diliman, Quezon City.
Under the MOU with PhilSA, it will assist NEA in pursuing state-funded electrification projects by providing satellite-based technology and other space science and technology applications (SSTA), which will identify unserved and underserved households in rural areas.
In his message, Dr. Marciano said SSTAs will enable the state-owned corporation to accurately plot its rural electrification activities, as well as verify and monitor these efforts in a cost-effective manner, towards achieving the 100-percent household energization target of the government.
“We are excited to be working with NEA and look forward to co-developing more applications, products, and services related to the energy sector, which we hope can be further tailored and applied to other sectors as well,” Dr. Marciano said in his message at the ceremony.
Meanwhile, the MOU between NEA and UP is geared towards developing a geographical information system (GIS) database, among other types of analytical tools, to increase the capacity of NEA and electric cooperatives (ECs) in identifying and verifying households with limited or no access to electricity.
GIS technologies are widely considered as being crucial in the energy distribution sector due to their problem-solving capabilities, such as determining the most ideal route for power distribution lines, on top of detecting real-time demographic changes in certain locations.
The NEA-UP partnership covers the provision of technical assistance, data sharing, among other collaborative projects, between the state-owned corporation and the premier university through its National Engineering Center (NEC).
UP-NEC will assist in the technical design of the modern PVM and customer management systems that the ECs will use. It will likewise train them in satellite/GIS-based electrification planning and in PVM solar home system design, installation, and maintenance.
NEA is currently implementing a three-pronged approach in its last mile electrification to achieve its target by 2028. These are the Sitio Electrification Program (SEP), the Barangay Line Enhancement Program (BLEP), and the Photovoltaic Mainstreaming (PVM) Program.
NEA’s partnerships with PhilSA and UP are expected to greatly assist with the implementation of the PVM Program, otherwise known as the Solar Home System (SHS) Program. This involves the use Renewable Energy technologies or hybrid systems to energize isolated communities with dispersed households. The PVM Program will be able to provide service connection to unserved areas where distribution lines are either physically or technically unviable for extension within the next 5 years or so.
NEA, on the other hand, will aid both PhilSA and UP in the development of their programs by providing pertinent information and other forms of support, including securing the cooperation of ECs, relevant to the accomplishment of their organizations’ goals.
“These partnerships will pave the way for NEA to take a more modernized approach with its electrification program, thereby ensuring its methodic and proper implementation,” Administrator Almeda said in his remarks.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to PhilSA and UP for their shared commitment to our electrification goals. Today (January 18), truly reflects the power of innovative and meaningful collaborations,” the NEA chief added.
Serving as points of contact to implement the MOUs are NEA Deputy Administrator for Technical Services Engr. Ernesto Silvano, Jr., PhilSA Director of the Space Information Infrastructure Bureau Dr. Ariel Blanco, and UP-NEC Executive Director Maria Antonia Tanchuling. ###
About NEA
NEA is the primary national government entity responsible for carrying out the Rural Electrification Program with the ECs acting as its implementing arm.
About PhilSA
PhilSA is the central government agency addressing all national issues and activities related to space S&T applications. Created under Republic Act No. 11363 or the Philippine Space Act, the PhilSA is an attached agency of the Office of the President for purposes of policy and program coordination, and to ensure alignment in national policies and priorities.
About UP
UP is the national university of the Philippines, serving as an advanced instruction in literature, philosophy, the sciences and arts. It is composed of eight constituent universities and one autonomous college, located in 17 campuses throughout the Philippines.
