A Dream, A Necessity, A Must For Catanduanes

First Catanduanes High Voltage DC Interconnection (FCHVDCI) . Obviously a dream at this point.

Over the past few years, I have brought to the attention of our fellow islanders the necessity for an Island Interconnection from the mainland. This Interconnection will make more sense by reading in depth the old articles I have written in the past which I am republishing in the following pages. To add to our knowledge of the Interconnection, I will be posting 'borrowed' articles from the internet, post photographs and provide links related to the subject at this site.

Very quickly, let me go over just what the HVDC or Island Interconnection is all about. It is an electrical power transfer system that can transfer huge amounts of electricity from one point to another which could be hundreds of miles apart. Transmission lines could be underwater, buried in the ground or overhead. Mostly, these transmissions are underwater. The larger islands of the Visayas as Bohol, Cebu, Negros, Samar, Panay are PRESENTLY drawing power from the geothermal electrical plants of Leyte using this technology. Excess power from Leyte actually reaches the Manila area by way of Samar, Sorsogon, Camarines , on to Quezon and eventually to Manila. Boracay is scheduled to get their Interconnection as well. Plans are afoot to link the three main islands Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao using this technology. For the most part, Luzon and the Visayas are pretty much 'hooked together electrically. Mindanao will eventually get interconnected.

A necessity:

As we all witnessed the recent destruction of everything on the island by super typhoon Reming, one of the key infrastructures that we all treasure and NEED, the electrical power, is still reeling from this devastation. It is not just very costly to rebuild, it also delivers crippling losses economically, it is a lot of inconvenience to all of us. To date, months later, the electrical restoration efforts, could very well be still needing completion. We also get visited by typhoons more often than our neighbors. We are the real typhoon doormat of the Pacific. We have this very unique, very special need to get this technology as soon as we can.

A must for Catanduanes:

With most of the Interconnection transmission cables reaching the island being underwater, survivability of our power supply from the mainland could indeed be very high. It gets even better if in the future, we can actually bury most of our High Voltage transmissions on the island. Remember, the HVDC transmission is very efficient over long distances without a lot of power loss.

When and if typhoons hit, as long as the underwater and underground cables are intact, most of our power will not be affected. The only ones that will need repair will be those lines that are run on posts and exposed above ground. It would be nice to sit in your living room watching the crazy typhoon rage outside, while you read in your living room with all your electrical power supplying all the electrical needs of your house, unaffected. As long as the power source and the interconnections are intact, the power should not be interrupted. While a typhoon rages on our island, Leyte continues to put out power, feeds it to all its high voltage lines, we continue to exist in relative advantage and comfort.

Another point to remember: New housing developments in most cities of America, 'bury their wires'. Although power lines still criss cross the American landscape specially in older cities, the new ones have most of their power laid underground. Neighborhoods have no wires to be seen. Occasionally one sees green boxes on someone's lawn which I believe are local transformers.

Priority:

High on our priority is to get our first Cable or Cables from the mainland to the most convenient point on our island. We will worry about the 'burial' of the rest of the power lines later.

Existing Transmission Development Plan (TDP) of Transco shows we are 'scheduled' to get our Interconnection in the year 2014. A year or so ago we were scheduled in 2010. Our priority is also very low. We fall under the so called Indicative category which simply means, it could drag on for ages.

Please visit the Transco website and read up on the TDP at: http://www.transco.ph/projects.asp. I believe that we have a very justifiable reason to beg, knock, push, scream, twist arm, beg some more to get our Interconnection priority pushed higher.

Economics and Justification:

In the long run, the savings in repeated repairs and reconstructions of our power lines each time we get beaten by typhoons, will be huge.

With power survivability raised or protected, our overall economy will recover much faster after each typhoon.

LIVES will NOT be as disrupted. I believe this is VERY important. At least for us who are affected.

The Interconnection also delivers almost UNINTERRUPTED and LARGE amount of electrical power. This will allow for the operation of bigger industrial capacity electrical motors, electrical water pumps for localized irrigations. I can't help but remember at this point the very huge billboards along the main highway connecting Southern and Northern California. It says simply, "Where water flows, FOOD grows!"

DO NOT FORGET THIS: OUR PRESENT OVERALL ELECTRICAL OUTPUT CAPACITY, EVEN WHEN IT IS FULLY OPERATIONAL , WILL NOT, IS NOT AND NEVER WILL BE SUFFICIENT to cover our industrial electrical needs. Not to mention that while it is meager in capacity, it also continues to blink out.

Enough said. I am ready to beg as I have said above. I hope you are as well. Perhaps, the Lady President, being the great economist that she is, will hear of our challenge and might....just might lend us her ears.

I believe in teamwork, I believe in miracles. I also believe in being a lifter instead of being a leaner. The more folks lifting, the more will be accomplished.

And if after we ask, we fail, let us get up and ask again. One wise guy said, "Winners never quit. Quitters never win". And yet another wise fellow said, "Losers quit when they fail. Winners fail until they succeed!"

To get a basic understanding of the HVDC, click the following link http://www.abb.com/hvdc and explore the site. ABB has a branch office in Manila.

Feedbacks will be greatly welcomed. Critiques will be appreciated.

Please send these things to : blackhawk74@yahoo.com

Joe Joson
Global Catandunganon
Anaheim, California