MORE Power Iloilo: MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power Iloilo) is ‘ready to serve’. Republic Act 11212 grants the power distribution utility a franchise to establish, operate, and maintain, for commercial purposes and in the public interest, a distribution system for the conveyance of electric power to the end users in Iloilo City, Province of Iloilo, and ensuring the continuous and uninterrupted supply of electricity in the franchise area, signed into law February 14, 2019, and made effective March 6 of the same year.
“We are a service-oriented company committed to bringing only the best customer experience to the electric consumers of Iloilo City”, is MORE Power’s brand direction. The power distribution company acknowledges the need for a modernized, reliable, cost-effective, flexible, and scalable power supply delivery system. It aims to ensure quality, reliability, security, and affordability of the supply of electric power.
2023 News and Updates
Update as of March 2023: MORE Power boosts power capacity. More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power Iloilo) is proud to announce that the energization of the 30/36 MVA New Megaworld Substation at Iloilo Business Park last March 5, 2023, was a success. It is the first permanent substation project of the distribution utility since it started operations in February 2020. The project is set to significantly boost the city’s power capacity and reliability.
MORE Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer Roel Castro expressed that the completion of the New Megaworld Substation is a breakthrough for the company and the city.
The new substation has a state-of-the-art system and is strategically located to support the growing demand for electricity in Iloilo City. Equipped with modern machinery and technology, the 30/36 MegaVolt Amperes (MVA) substation’s Power Transformer is from ABB/Hitachi, the power technology leader. This comes with an On-load Tap Changer manufactured by Reinhausen, a global leader in power technology systems based in Germany. It also features a “self-dehydrating breather” by COMEM Group Italy.
The power transformer also has a digital interface for easy connection to smart grid applications and an online Dissolved Gas Analyzer (DGA) for all gases, enabling real-time monitoring of its actual condition and life expectancy. Additionally, the substation is equipped with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and automation features, enabling remote-controlled operation from MORE Power’s Control Center.
The substation’s protection includes a transformer differential protection that protects the power transformer from external and internal faults and modernized overcurrent protection relays that are properly coordinated with other line protection devices for a more robust and reliable supply of power.
The 30/36 MVA New Megaworld Substation is ready to support the development of Iloilo Business Park and nearby districts, such as Ayala Atria Estate, SM Complex, and the Mandurriao residential district. It has two incoming lines from Molo and Mandurriao, ensuring reliability and providing backup in case one line fails.
With the substation now operational, the business park and its surrounding areas will have a more stable and reliable power supply, making it an ideal location for businesses looking to invest in Iloilo city.
“The energization of the substation marks a significant milestone for MORE Power, in fulfilling its mandate of providing reliable and cost-efficient electric power distribution service to Iloilo City. We are fully committed to the upgrading of the power infrastructures here to meet the needs of our customers and support the economic growth of the city,” Castro emphasized.
With the completion of the New Megaworld Substation, MORE Power is confident that it can provide a more stable and reliable power supply to its customers in Iloilo City.
The company is one with the city in ensuring that this project will not only benefit existing businesses in the city but also attract new investors in one of the country’s fastest-growing economic zones. MORE Power worked in partnership with Megaworld Corporation, which allowed the use of their property as the substation site. Despite the property’s compact area, MORE Power’s engineers were able to fit everything without sacrificing the substation’s operation, safety, and reliability. To preserve the aesthetics of Iloilo Business Park and protect the substation from outside elements, the substation is enclosed by a five-meter tall perimeter fence and louvers at the top.
This project is a testament to MORE Power’s commitment to providing world-class power distribution services to Iloilo City. With the company’s ongoing upgrading and rehabilitation of electric power infrastructures, the city can look forward to a brighter future and a more robust economy.
Update as of March 2023: 30/36 MVA Mobile Substation Energized. More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power Iloilo), in a social media post, bared that the new 30/36 MVA Mobile Substation has been fully energized and ready to transfer load from the old Molo Pwer Transformer on March 14, Tuesday. The newest addition to the distribution utility’s roster of equipment features a 30 MVA Power Transformer manufactured by ASTOR A.Ş.
To highlight, MORE Power is also the first in the country to utilize the PASS M00 technology of ABB (Hitachi Energy), which compactly combines a power circuit breaker, disconnect switches, current transformers, and potential transformers in one small form factor package. The utility also has compact gas-insulated switch gears and relays by Siemens and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL), as well as a state-of-the-art ETOS smart digital tap changer and MSENSE online DGA by Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen.
The utility credits EEI Power Corporation and Aktif for making the project possible: “Together, we’re bringing the latest technology and innovations to provide top-notch service to our valued consumers.”
Update as of March 2023: 30/36 MVA Mobile Substation Fully Energized. More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power Iloilo) successfully energizes its 30/36 MVA Mobile Power Transformer stationed in the Molo substation. The distribution utility is the first in the country to utilize ABB’s cutting-edge PASS M00 technology, along with other advanced equipment from Siemens, ASTOR A.Ş, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, and Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen. With the development, consumers can now expect more reliable and efficient electricity, including reduced power outages and losses.
“Our partnership with EEI and Aktif has allowed us to bring the latest technology and innovations to provide the best quality service that our consumers deserve,” states Roel Z. Castro, MORE Power President and CEO.
The energization of the new equipment marks a significant milestone for the company and the business community in the metro. In the next months, the company will start rehabilitating and upgrading the old Molo substation while temporarily using the mobile substation to serve consumers in the district.
Castro explained that the new equipment is designed to ensure customers’ access to reliable and cost-efficient power supply, which will contribute to the growth and development of the booming business community in Iloilo City. The upgrade will also benefit the city’s business operations, with a more stable power supply leading to increased efficiency.
Update as of March 2023: MORE Power Inaugurates Megaworld Substation. More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power Iloilo) recently inaugurated its 30/36 MVA Megaworld Substation. The event was graced by More Power Principal Owner Enrique Razon, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, Alliance Global Group Inc CEO Kevin Tan, and More Power President and CEO Roel Castro, among others.
MORE Power, Iloilo City’s sole distribution utility, takes pride in its new 30/36 MVA Megaworld Substation that will support Iloilo Business Park and nearby districts. It has two incoming lines from Molo and Mandurriao, ensuring reliable power distribution.
MORE Power Iloilo principal owner Enrique Razon, in a speech, bared his thoughts on the development.
“This project is a testament to our commitment in supporting the growth and development of the local community, by providing reliable and sustainable power supply,” states Razon. “We are proud to have been part of Iloilo’s journey, towards progress and will remain committed to contributing in the region’s economic and social development. This substation is a testament to our unwavering dedication to innovation and excellence to a hope that it will bring significant benefits to the community,” he adds.
Razon expressed his gratitude to partners, stakeholders, and employees who have contributed to the development. He also thanked the Iloilo City Government and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas for his steadfast support to the company.
As a response, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas expressed his gratitude to MORE Power for its fervent support to the metro. The distribution utility, since the start of its operation, has always been committed to innovation and pushing the power distribution capacity of Iloilo City to the next level. The company is also transparent about its five-year modernization program focused on improving its service to the Ilonggos.
“From our homes, offices, public spaces, and commercial centers, electricity is a necessity. It is important in our daily lives. More so in a city such as ours. As the city government endeavors to be one of the top most livable-highly urbanized cities of the Philippines by 2028. Let us all recognize the efforts of MORE Power to help us reach this goal. Facilities are continually upgraded and necessary repairs are made even during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” says Trenas, during the inauguration of the 30/36 MVA Megaworld Substation.
“Teams are deployed 24/7, and communication lines are always open to quickly respond to concerns of the consumers. Customer service is professional making customers feel valued. Highly dependable high-quality service available to the community is something that Ilonggos are very proud of. I would like to congratulate MORE Power for all these accomplishments. This new megaworld substation with state-of-the-art facilities and strategically located in a key business district,” he adds.
He also shared his heartfelt gratitude to the company.
“You have done a lot for the Ilonggos Mr. Razon kag MORE Power, and I am very optimistic that there will be MORE from MORE. As we start to level up our city. We have to ensure that quality, electric power distribution becomes the standard. This enables us to improve quality of life, and prompt holistic development. To end, I would like against o express my sincere gratitude to the Razon Group, MORE Power and to MR. Kevin Tan for continually investing in Iloilo City. You have the Iloilo City LGU as your indispensable partner and we will help you in whatever way we can. We look forward to all the positive impacts that our continued and prospective collaborations on future projects will be achieved for our beloved Ilonggos,” Trenas concludes.
Kevin Tan, CEO of Alliance Global Group Inc., also expressed his gratitude.
“Our thanks to be part of this initiative and join MORE Electric and Power Corporation in its effort to boost Iloilo’s power capacity and reliability and provide cost-efficient electricity service to the community through this brand-new modern substation. Transforming Iloilo City into a world-class investment hub in this part of the country, is our vision… it is a vision that we equally share in the Iloilo City LGU and MORE Power,” Tan says.
Tan also shared his vision for Iloilo Business Park and his aspirations for Iloilo City.
“Our partnership with MORE will further power our goal of attracting and bringing in MORE Investments to the City as its central business district. A steady power supply and stable electricity prices are among the prerequisites of our locators and business. Having this new state-of-the-art facility in our township is a big plus and a huge confidence boost to our potential investors. By design, MEGAWORLD townships such as the Iloilo Business Park are built to be resilient and self-sustaining master plan communities,” he added.
More Power President and CEO Roel Castro, meanwhile, details the functions of the new substation.
“This state-of-the-art substation is actually capable of unmanned operation. When we do the familiarization walk, everything is already electronics. It could be controlled and operated off-site in our control center. This is also SCADA-ready. This means the communication system with this substation and all the substations later when we do the rehabilitation of the five substations that we inherited, can already be operated and controlled from our control center. That control center is also under construction right now in Diversion,” Castro states.
By the end of the year, we will have another substation in Diversion, which is to replace the old substation in General Luna, and at the same time, the new control center will already be operational by then. This substation will actually be our standard right now. Well, just to put a little pride in it, this is one of the latest in the state-of-the-art in the country right now. So, all of these is geared towards electric service infrastructure in Iloilo right now is very reliable, adequate, stable and should be competitively priced,” he added.
Update as of April 2023: Iloilo City Government, MORE Power Pursues Zero Fire Cases. In a bid to eradicate fire incidents in the metro, the Iloilo City Government initiated the Integrated Fire Approach to Fire Prevention Program. The city government has partnered with More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power Iloilo), Bureau of Fire Prevention (BFP), and other stakeholders to determine the common cause of fire incidents. This includes illegal connections, unauthorized load connections, open wires, substandard service wires, and a lack of awareness.
“The city government is working with MORE Power on the integrated approach to the fire prevention program. The fire incidents in Iloilo City are mostly preventable and due to illegal electric connections,”states Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas.
The initiative aims to ensure that all service lines are jumper-free, elevated metering centers (EMCs) are rehabilitated, and over-extended low-lying wires are managed. It also aspires to convert unauthorized load-side connections and institutionalize fire safety through community involvement.
The program will be implemented in four phases.
It will start with the deployment of line sweepers to conduct thorough inspections of secondary lines, service drops, metering facilities, flying connections, and loop connections. Validation and conversion of unauthorized load-side connections will be regularized through the MORE Konek program. Moreover, old EMCs and over-extended low-lying wires will be rehabilitated, with priority given to vulnerable barangays.
“We need to work closely with MORE Power and the barangays to legalize electric connections to prevent fire incidents in the city. Funds of the city going to financial assistance can be put to better use” Mayor Treñas added.
MORE Power will work in collaboration with barangay officials, the BFP, OBO/CEO, and its own distribution engineers. The distribution utility will also implement an Information, Education, and Communication program (IEC) covering electrical and fire safety, as well as RA 7832. The BFP will also be involved in facilitating fire safety seminars. With measures in place, the Iloilo City Government, MORE Power Iloilo, BFP and stakeholders hope to achieve zero fire incidents in a span of six months.
2019 News and Updates
Update as of November 2019: Introduction to MORE Power Iloilo. The power company focuses on four strategic goals for the city. Primarily, it aims to improve the distribution system’s reliability, minimize franchise-wide outages, and commit to competitive power rates, and provide customer satisfaction. It can be recalled that (as of 2019) MORE has committed Php 1.7 billion for reliability improvement, system loss reduction, capacity and power quality improvement, and safety improvement.
- improve the distribution system’s reliability
- minimize franchise-wide outages
- commit to competitive power rates
- provide customer satisfaction
The investment includes a utility management system software that will serve as a front-end system. This includes a customer management system, work management system, billing management system, and collection management system. MORE will also implement an ‘SAP ERP System’, an enterprise resource planning software that integrates financials, sales, and purchasing data.
- customer management system
- work management system
- billing management system
- collection management system
- SAP ERP System
- Synergee Software
- distribution system analysis software
The company will also implement ‘Synergee Software’, a power system analysis package that simulates load flow, symmetrical and asymmetrical faults, capacitor placement, cable ampacity, contingency switching, switch optimization, harmonic impedance, motor starting, phase balancing, predictive reliability, and protective device coordination.
It will also utilize a distribution system analysis software that will enable electric distribution utility to calculate the reliability indices for its distribution system, calculate SAIFI, SAIDI, and MAIFI, and even EENS, CAIDI, ASAI, ASUI, ASIFI, and ASIFI. Other software includes a customer queuing system and system facilities mapping. The systems facilities mapping will provide easy viewing of the electric distribution network and cluster the system by district, barangay, and electric feeder.
In terms of the long-debated facilities, MORE announces that it has utility trucks for 24/7 response, utility trucks for meter installation teams; motorcycles for metering services, administration, and network operations; pickup trucks for customer care and network operations. MORE has also announced the existence of digital meters, meter boxes, electric poles, concrete poles, steel poles, tools and equipment, and a mobile substation. A mobile substation will minimize outages during rehab works as well as increase capacity and power quality.
- utility trucks for 24/7 response
- utility trucks for meter installation
- motorcycles for metering services,
- pickup trucks for network operations
- digital meters
- meter boxes
- electric poles
- concrete poles
- steel poles
- tools and equipment
- mobile substation
In terms of MORE commitment to reducing power supply costs, it also announced that it will source out its power requirements in the least costly manner. In terms of its commitment to providing seamless customer service, MORE will provide nondiscriminatory services, spot billing in all districts, accurate meter reading, a 24/7 dedicated hotline, a 24/7 response team, key accounts management, and dispute resolution.
The above-mentioned facilities ensure the public that MORE is indeed ‘ready to serve’.
2020 News and Updates
Update as of June 2020: MORE Employees Empowered. Just recently, Iloilo’s new distribution utility MORE Electric and Power Company, commonly referred to as MORE Power, shared about their employees and their employee’s plight during the PECO to MORE transition.
MORE details the story of Rey Silvias, a former employee of Panay Electric Co. (PECO) who was recruited to join newcomer MORE. Silvias shared how thankful he is for his new employer who has provided him a better pay, daily wage of Php 750, and complete safety equipment – hard hat, safety shoes, gloves, and goggles.
“I’m in a better position now. I feel protected and more empowered now,” shares Rey Silvias.
MORE Power is helmed by its president and chief officer Roel Castro, who has around 15 years of experience in the power industry, and has worked with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and Palm Concepcion Power Corp.
The company’s Network Operations Head is Engr. Edwin Montemayor who has a degree in Electrical Engineering and has 42 years of experience in the power industry. The Project Development and Management Department is headed by Professional Electrical Engr. Rey Jaleco, a former District Senior Manager-Division Head III of NGCP.
To date, MORE’s Network Operations and Project Development Management is manned by 03 Professional Electrical Engineers (PEE); 29 Registered Electrical Engineers (REE); 14 graduates of either Industrial Technology, Industrial Electronics, Applied Electronics, and Electronic Technicians; 01 Registered Civil Engineer; and 1 Computer Engineer. The company also employs 2 Electronic and Communication Engineers, 2 Computer Engineers, and 5 Certified Public Accountants (CPA), and a Registered Nurse (RN).
Read more: MORE empowers industry professionals, an article by Daily Guardian.
Update as of September 2020: Thermal Scanners to Identify Faults. MORE Electric and Power Corporation is set to innovate facilities and equipment as part of its modernization initiative. Another addition to its equipment is thermal scanners. MORE reveals that it will be using thermal scanners to identify faults in lines and transformers. It has recently purchased two infrared thermography for electrical distribution, otherwise known as thermal scanners. The said equipment can identify critical areas of a particular line, connector, transformer, and more. The vulnerable areas can then be repaired. Moreover, the identification of critical areas can then be scheduled for maintenance – preventing unannounced power interruptions. MORE will be conducting thermal scanning of all five substations, including power transformer bushings and main take-off points of feeder lines.
Update as of November 2020: 10MVA Mobile Substation. More Electric and Power Corporation celebrated the inauguration of its 10MVA mobile substation nestled along Explorer Road in Iloilo Business Park, on November 20, Friday. The mobile substation is expected to supplement the electricity needs of the metro. It is part of the five-year development plan of the distribution utility (DU) in a bid to ease the overloaded system of other substations.
“The mobile substation will be powering up the Iloilo Business Park, relieving the overloaded Mandurriao and Molo substation. This will aid us in rehabilitating the system and ensuring stable power supply. Please join us in this momentous event for Iloilo City’s development,” says More Power Iloilo in a social media post.
It may be recalled that the mobile substation arrived in September, and is said to have a 10MVA capacity that will reduce around 25MVA to 30MVA load from the power transformer of the Mandurriao Substation, reportedly said to be at a critical level due to increasing power demands.
Update as of December 2020: First Major Investment. More Electric and Power Corporation’s first major investment comes to life – the recently inaugurated 10MVA Substation is now fully energized (at exactly 10am, December 06), ready to supplement the energy needs of the metro. The mobile substation, stationed in Iloilo Business Park, will increase the energy capacity of Iloilo’s business district. It will also decongest the Mandurriao Substation, said to be overloaded beyond safe levels.
It may be recalled that the distribution utility has inaugurated the said mobile substation.
“MORE Power’s first major investment has come to life. At 10:00 AM today, they have fully energized the 10MVA mobile substation at Iloilo Business Park in Megaworld. This will help increase the capacity of the fastest-growing areas in the metro. It will also decongest the overloaded Mandurriao Substation whose usage has gone beyond safe levels,” states Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas.
“We are grateful for MORE Power’s dedication to provide the best quality of service for the Ilonggos. Let us continue to be more understanding, and soon, Iloilo City will have the best supply of electricity for all,” Treñas adds.
Moreover, Megaworld lauds the DU’s move in supplementing the energy needs in the area.
“This is a major welcome development to ensure the stability in the power supply of Iloilo Business Park. As we open more BPO companies in the township, we expect a continuing surge in the demand for 24/7 power for our office towers aside from the current requirements of the mall, hotels, and residential condominiums,” Roland Tiongson, first vice president, Megaworld Premier Offices
Power fuels productivity, and productivity fuels progress. More Power Iloilo is keen on its modernization efforts to supplement the metro’s growing demand for electricity. With the increasing number of infrastructure and new players in the business, More Power assures the local government and its consumers of its reliable services and commitment to excellence.
2021 News and Updates
Update as of February 2021: Spaghetti Wires in Iloilo. The Public Utilities Group of Iloilo, ‘PUGI’, aspires to clear eyesores (loose cable wires, tangled telecommunication lines, disorganized electric meter placements, etc) in the metro. Here, residents laud their efforts.
“Daw tawhay na gani subong kag wala ka na kulba kay halos may mga kuntador na tanan kag plastado na gid halos mga poste,” states Ritchel Javelona, a resident of Brgy. San Pedro, Molo.
“Siyempre as barangay captain sa akon nga barangay, ginakalipay ko kag ang pagbati ko sa MORE nga company, amu ni nga barangay nga una gid ginbuligan abi sa pagtakud sang mga poste kag daku man ini nga bulig sa aton nga Bureau of Fire kay sang last time nga nasunugan kami diri sa likod, mostly nga concern gid sang aton nga Bureau of Fire Protection is ang aton nga spaghetti wires kag manubo ina, kag happy gid ako nga ang aksyon subong sang MORE madasig kag nabuligan gid nila nga ma cluster sang maayu ang pagput-up sang poste nila. Kag advantage na kay mataas kag malikaw kita sa mga sunog nga ginatawag,” says Brgy. San Pedro, Molo Punong Barangay Karl John Lapascua.
Records show that 60% of electric consumers in Brgy. San Pedro Molo are engaged in electric pilferage based on the data given by the said barangay and from the records culled by MORE Power.
“It’s good that these usual eyesores in the neighborhoods and along our streets are now being taken care of. Kasi yong mga overhead wires na mga yan nakakatakot talaga especially kung malakas ang hangin or during storms or typhoons. Very dangerous. And on normal days, visual pollution talaga!,” commented Romy from Lapaz.
“San Pedro records a high percentage of pilferage so what we are doing now is to bring the pilferage to its lowest end. We cannot do that alone though. I have already spoken to the mayor and to the barangay captains because we need their support and participation for us successfully reverse this. We know for fact that after we cut them (pilferers) off, they will just reconnect after we left and we cannot be deploying people 24/7 just to watch out on people who’s doing this. If that is the case, I would rather put up a security agency. But nevertheless, the approach that we are doing now is through the barangays, and Brgy. San Pedro, being the one with the highest number of pilferers, I guess it’s a good thing that we start from here,” said Roel Castro, MORE Power President and Chief Operating Officer.
Engr. Randy Pastolero, Executive Assistant for Power to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas reveals that was not easy.
“It was actually a tough ride but thank God it worked. Now we have a model barangay in the city which we can really call a pilot area that should be duplicated by the other barangays. This program, actually, was proposed by MORE Power. They informed Mayor Jerry Treñas of what they intend to do and the mayor liked their proposal,” he said, noting “But why San Pedro, Molo? One could notice that we have quite a number of fire incidents in that barangay primarily because of illegal connections. So it’s really high time that we engage the support of the community including the barangay with the help of our power distributor. And of course with the support of PUGI,” he says.
The creation of PUGI is described as “a first” in Iloilo City where utilities meet and discuss how to rid streets and sightline of Iloilo City of tangled electric wires, cable, and communication lines that make up what is referred to as spaghetti wires in Iloilo.
“This collaboration is actually the brainchild of Mr. Roel Castro of MORE. And it was indeed a very good idea which eventually galvanized the support and the cooperation of all those in public utilities based in our city. Having these major players such as cable TV and telecom companies such as SkyCable, Smart-PLDT, Globe Telecom, Panay Broadband, Eastern Telecom, Dito Telecom, and MORE Power united in the campaign to rid our streets and communities with these perennial eyesores is really a big help to the city government and we are really grateful,”adds Pastolero.
PUGI’s operation covers the streets of Iloilo City and is conducted every Tuesday and Saturday.
“And the existence of PUGI is very timely because it is the thrust of Mayor Jerry Treñas to really get rid of the unsightly poles and wires for Iloilo City to set a standard and be a cut above the rest or at par with other cities in the region and the country. Kay ining problema [This problem] is happening everywhere. We will be doing this in Iloilo City para makita sang iban nga maubra ini [so others will see that it can be done]. “Our objective is to ensure the safety of everyone, and of course, the esthetics of the lines that are being installed in the city. Definitely, our streets will soon look better, tidier and a lot safer,” he concludes.
Update as of May 2021: 69kV Switching Station in La Paz: More Electric and Power Corporation (More Power Iloilo) introduces its 69kV switching station in Brgy. Banuyao, La Paz, as part of its modernization program for the City of Iloilo. The facility will soon be energized and will connect all the substations of MORE Power to the Sta. Barbara substation of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). It will also play an important role in Iloilo City’s transmission grid as it will further reduce the power rate for the consumers of Iloilo City.
Moreover, starting on May 26, the distribution utility will directly purchase 100 percent of the needed power supply for Iloilo City from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), the venue for trading electricity as a commodity.
During the inauguration, More Power President and Chief Operating Officer Roel Castro revealed that the DU can opt for a cheaper power supply from WESM and Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM).
“Though prices in the WESM are highly volatile, it is also noteworthy that on the average, WESM prices are relatively low especially during off-peak periods. More Power is an active participant in the WESM and very responsive to the movement of spot market prices,” states Castro.
He also stated that starting January next year, More Power will undertake the Competitive Selection Process (CSP) for its long-term power supply required to provide more competitive and better electricity rates to the consumers of Iloilo City. For about a year, at least 70 percent of the needed generation for Iloilo City is being supplied by Global Business Power, an agreement stipulated in the 1-year emergency contract between MORE and GBP when the former took over the distribution utility in this southern metropolis. Despite this, MORE Power was able to reduce the power rate for its consumers by buying the remaining 30% from other producers at a cheaper price.
“This switching station will certainly play an important role in strengthening More Power’s service reliability and in making cheaper rates much more possible for the benefit of all our consumers,” Castro continues adding that the DU will continue to invest in its upgrading program to ensure that facilities for capacity and reliability will be achieved.
“Little by little we are doing that. We will be expanding most of the areas covered by our existing substations, and we will be building additional substations because we need to synchronize our capacity where we are connected,” he added.
For his part, Mayor Jerry Treñas lauded once again the effort being made by More Power.
“More Power is not just a distribution or electric company in Iloilo City, it is a partner of the city government for the development of our beloved city. All of these developments that MORE Power is bringing into Iloilo will definitely benefit the Ilonggos as well as our investors,” he said, emphasizing, “With MORE power here as our partner, we are certain of a stable distribution company that will bring in more investments for Iloilo City and more employment for Ilonggos,” states Mayor Treñas.
Update as of May 2021: MORE connects 69kV Transmission Line. More Electric and Power Corporation (More Power Iloilo)successfully connects its 69kV transmission line to the National Grid Corporation (NGCP). The said transmission line, nestled in Brgy. Banuya, La Paz, will allow the distribution utility to connect with the grid and enable the DU to source 100% of its power supply beginning May 26.
The transition process started last Tuesday and ended yesterday, May 25th. To date, all MORE substations are sourcing their power from the NGCP Sta. Barbara Substation.
With its connection to the grid, MORE Power Iloilo will be able to choose the cheapest supply of electricity from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market and Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation. Moreover, MORE intends to start its Competitive Selection Process among its power suppliers.
Previously, 70% of the power supply consumed by the metro is sourced from Global Business Power. With the transition, MORE will be able to look for cheaper supplies and provide Ilonggos with cheaper electricity rates.
It may be recalled that Iloilo City now has the cheapest power rates in major Visayan cities. In a comparative table of power rates covering April this year, MORE Power is clearly way ahead of its league leaving a clear gap between it and its counterparts, Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) and Visayan Electric Company (VECO) by registering a P10.28 per kWh-rate while the two others, charged P11.11 per kWh and P11.94 per kWh, respectively.
MORE Power President and COO Roel Castro said that the power company is just living up to its promise to provide the consumers of Iloilo City with effective and cost-efficient electric service. He also cited the support of power producers that help ensure the continuous power supply to Iloilo City during MORE Power’s transition period of operation from the previous distribution utility.
Update as of September 2021: Automatic Circuit Recloser. A steady source of electricity is a convenience that every household depends on. Fortunately, MORE Power has devised a way to protect the supply of electricity and quickly restore power in just a few seconds, delivering a stable power connection for the Ilonggos.
As of date, there has only been one feeder outage incident for the past three months which happened last Sunday. In other words, Iloilo City experienced no feeder shutdowns for three months before this incident, ensuring the supply of electricity into the homes of consumers. This is all because of MORE Power’s latest upgrade – the Automatic Circuit Recloser (ACR).
Since its installation, it has prevented full electricity downtime in all feeder lines and isolated electrical concerns to a small specific location unlike before where large areas could still be affected when this technology was not yet introduced. In fact, 90% of line irregularities that prompt electrical downtimes in Iloilo City are temporary
and are usually caused by animals accidentally coming in contact with the electrical lines, falling tree branches, and even powerful winds. These commonly cause the whole feeder line to short circuit thereby causing a lot of households to lose electricity for hours.
However, with MORE Power’s latest upgrade, long power outages may just be a thing of the past now as the ACR has demonstrated the benefits of preventing major power supply lines from shutting down. As an example to demonstrate, if there’s a line disturbance in a particular street in Jaro, the power outages will only be isolated there and it won’t affect the whole district or barangay. This is exactly how no feeder lines have shut down for the past three (3) months before the recent incident – disturbances are isolated and the whole feeder line is protected.
Another key feature of the ACR is that it can SELF-RESTORE. In other words, the ACR restores power automatically in affected areas even without the intervention of MORE Power’s technical team. Before ACRs, restoration time during temporary line disturbances took an average of 70 minutes before they could be resolved. This is because the dispatch and travel of the technicians can take some time, on top of the actual energization time. Now that MORE Power has installed reclosers around Iloilo City, power can be restored within just a few seconds – 85 seconds, to be exact.
So how does MORE Power’s ACRs work? When a fault in the feeder line is detected, the ACR will “open”, thereby causing power interruptions. After 5 seconds, the ACR will close and attempt to restore power. If the fault can still be detected after the first reclosing, the ACR will open again causing another power interruption. After 80 seconds, the ACR will once again close and attempt to restore power.
The ACRs are set at 5 seconds for the first reclosing, and another 80 seconds for the 2nd and final reclosing. If the problem still persists on the third attempt, the recloser will lock out and thus cause a permanent outage. In fact, there’s a reason why MORE Power set these specific intervals.
These intervals for the reclosers were set in order to give enough time for the appliances to stabilize and deter the rapid flicker that would cause damage to sensitive devices. A shorter time interval such as 0.5 seconds, 1 or 2 seconds indeed may have been set. However, such very rapid intervals might result in voltage fluctuation or current surge which is harmful to electronic devices. Since the reclosing is not rapid and is set within the span of 5 to 80
seconds, it will not cause damage to appliances. A rapid reclosing may even cause an increase in billings due to voltage fluctuation. Indeed, MORE Power could restore connection instantly if it wanted but it would come at the cost of the consumers’ appliances and an increase in electricity rates. Instead, the company chose to prioritize the welfare of the Ilonggos and found a balance between stability and safety.
As of today, there are 30 ACR units installed all over the system which successfully re-closed 100 times and locked out 49 times. This means 100 (67%) out of 149 instances of possible blackouts were prevented in which each possible blackout could have lasted from 15 to 20 minutes. This is the result of the upgrade that the ACR brought to us and MORE Power is optimistic that it will further improve and prevent more blackouts as additional ACR’s will be
added and as more data will be gathered in the future.
With MORE Power’s introduction of the ACR to the city, the Ilonggos can now enjoy a future where outages may go unnoticed because of the restoration speed, and the isolation of outages to areas of fault. MORE Power is staying true to its promise and going out of its way to provide a reliable source of electricity for every Ilonggo. As MORE Power progresses, so does the City of Iloilo.
2022 News and Updates
Update as of March 2022: New Power Transformer. More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) successfully energized its newly acquired 33 Mega Volt-Amp (MVA) power transformer in the City Proper substation over the weekend. The pre-heating/energization and loading of the newly acquired power transformer were conducted on March 26 and March 27, respectively. This replaced the over 30-year-old transformer of the previous distribution utility that conked out last January 2022.
MORE Power was able to acquire the slightly used transformer from a major electric distribution utility in Luzon. The said transformer was manufactured by Fortune Hitachi of Taiwan. The bigger and more modern 33 MVA transformer was acquired to meet the growing power demand of the City Proper District. MORE Power tapped MIESCOR, a subsidiary of Meralco, for the commissioning of the said new transformer.
The total cost of the equipment and commissioning was around P50 million.
According to Roel Z. Castro, President, and COO of MORE Power, this new power asset is just part of the P1.9 billion investment of MORE Power in its efforts to digitalize and modernize the distribution system.
Richard Ochava, president and chief operations officer of MIESCOR, explained that the 30MVA transformer addresses the capacity problem of the whole system. With the new transformer, the system’s capacity increased by 8%.
“It is future-ready, and maintenance-free. We have already installed vacuum interruptors, so wala ng mga by-products in the operations of tap changer. Ang mga bushings nya are made of polymer, so wala ng mababasag,” Ochava said. “Smart-ready na ang mga equipment natin. So, kung makikita na natin ang operations remotely, lahat ng provisions namo-monitor natin properly at handa na sya sa SCADA control system” he added
Castro related that in addition to the 10MVA Mobile Substation which was installed in Megaworld last November 2020 and the new 33MVA substation, by September of this year, another 30MVA will be operational in the said business district to cater to the increasing demand.
Overall, by the end of the year, Iloilo city would have a total capacity of around 193MVA.
MORE Power allocated 1 Billion pesos for this year for the development of said Megaworld Substation, purchase of 30 MVA Mobile Substation, development of City Proper substation, improvement and upgrading of other substations and sub-transmission lines, construction of Control Center building and associated equipment and reconductoring of various distribution lines.
Castro said that the modernization efforts of MORE Power are aimed towards addressing systems loss factors, illegal connections, and power interruptions; reducing overloading; providing a cheaper and safer electricity supply to consumers; and delivering efficient and reliable customer service.
Network Rehabilitation in the Past 2 Years: As to rehabilitation works, MORE Power has been massively replacing old electric meters, undergoing replacements of dilapidated and wooden electric poles, uprating distribution transformers, and installing conductors round the clock. The figure shows that they installed and replaced 1,715 poles, 559 distribution transformers, and 21,802 total electric meters. There were also 619 electric meters on the pole transferred and 330 elevated metering centers, installed 8.36 km neutral conductors, replaced 12.98 km of primary line, and 15.98 km secondary line.
Since the start of its operation, MORE Power was able to install 240 Animal Guards, 189 Sets of Silicone Rubber Insulator, 31 Automatic Circuit Reclosers (ARCs), and 15 Load Break Switches (LBS). The installation of these types of equipment was able to avert a large percentage of instantaneous causes or brownouts/ interruptions in the feeder.
Based on data, MORE Power’s System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI), or the average number of interruptions a customer experiences (as of Dec.31, 2021), and the System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) showed a 93-percent average decrease in interruption frequency and an 85-percent average decrease in system interruption duration, respectively, within one year.
Efforts to Lower Rates: On May 18 last year, the city’s sole power distributor switched on its 69-kilovolt (kV) transmission station in Brgy. Banuyao, La Paz district connecting 100 percent to the grid. This has resulted in a major reduction in electricity rates as MORE Power was able to gain access to cheap rates after contracting a Geothermal power supply from Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp (PSALM).
For the first year of its operation, MORE Power’s rate has gone down to as low as P6.2071/kWh from the average of P13/kWh of the previous utility. With MORE Power, the electricity rate of Iloilo City is lower compared to other private distribution utilities and electric cooperatives in the country.
MORE Power through its Network Operations Department has also launched a system loss reduction program dubbed as “Oplan Valeria” and seized tons of electrical cables during a crackdown. Oplan Valeria is a campaign against illegal electrical connections or “jumpers.” The department has already conducted 1,549 operations or inspections involving illegal connections.
Of the figure, 1,449 were sent with demand letters while 122 cases have so far been filed against power pilferers for violating Republic Act 7823 or the Anti-Pilferage of Electricity and Theft of Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Act of 1994. Meanwhile, the city’s sole power distributor was also able to decrease system loss from 23.31 percent in May 2020 to 6.98 percent in December 2021.
Better Customer Service: MORE Power also earned the trust of Ilonggo consumers, from ordinary power consumers to the business sector, because of its quick response time. The average response time, from the moment calls, are received until the response team arrives on-site, is 10 to 15 minutes.
From Feb. 19, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2021, MORE Power through its various channels was able to respond and address a total of 486, 067 calls or concerns. Data shows that the social media platform with 48 percent is the top choice of consumers in expressing their concerns.
MORE Power has responded to 233, 043 concerns thru social media. This was followed by responses thru the 24/7 hotline with 139,237 or 29 percent and thru its customer welfare desk with 113, 787 or 23 percent. Moreover, since March 2020, a total of 22, 725 new applicants have been energized or legally connected. Also, through MORE Power’s Barangay Load Assessment Project, hundreds of barangay facilities have been turned to legal connection.
Data showed that 567 barangay facilities were assessed, 52 barangays have started paying out of the 173 assessed barangays without meters, 45 barangays have ongoing applications for new meters, and 128 barangays with new active meters.
Update as of June 2022: Additional 1.1B Investment for Modernization: More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power Iloilo) adds 1.1 billion to speed up its modernization efforts for Iloilo City, totaling to 3 billion in investment. This is announced by MORE Power Iloilo President Roel Castro after approving the aforementioned budget allotted for 2022 to 2025.
It may be recalled that the distribution utility made a capital expenditure of 1.9 billion to spearhead its operation in 2020. The budget was used to rehabilitate facilities and improve power distribution to consumers. Other activities include reconditioning of power transformers of five substations, the replacement of dilapidated poles, the addition of distribution transformers, and the replacement of damaged electric meters.
More Power also added a mobile substation to support the Mandurriao substation and suffice the power needs of the growing business area in Megaworld. Moreover, automatic circuit reclosers were installed to reinforce the protection system of distribution networks – this innovation resulted in lesser unscheduled power interruptions and speed up the restoration of power.
The DU also established the 69kV Banuyao Switching Station in Lapaz to connect the facility to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines – this resulted in lesser power costs for consumers and allowed More Power to source power from power plants with the lowest cost.
System loss was also reduced to 7.8% from 28% due to More Power’s intensive campaign against power pilferage. To date, there are approximately 86,000 More Power Iloilo consumers from the previous 64,000.
According to Castro, the additional 1.1 billion will be pivotal to spearheading the DU modernization efforts in the next three years. He also revealed that three more substations will be added to supply the growing power demand of Iloilo City. The substations will be situated in Megaworld and Arevalo, and another mobile substation will be in place to supply power while an existing substation is rehabilitated.
Moreover, all substations and feeders will be connected for looping, and a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System will be in place to digitize the monitoring of facilities. With all these efforts, More Power can assure consumers of reliable, stable, and quality power distribution and service for a better and progressive Iloilo.
Update as of June 2022: Second Mobile Substation. More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power Iloilo) recently acquired a brand new mobile substation to be used in the full rehabilitation of old substations in Iloilo City. According to MORE Power President and Chief Executive Officer Roel Castro, the distribution utility invested in a brand new mobile substation from Aktif Elektroteknik. He added that the mobile substation will greatly help them in the total rehabilitation project of all the five substations that MORE Power inherited from the previous distribution utility but without long power interruptions.
To date, there are substations situated in Jaro, Lapaz, City Proper, Molo, and Mandurriao. Apparently, the power transformers on the said substations are categorized as unsafe and most of its facilities are also old.
Meanwhile, the new mobile substation has a power transformer load capacity of 30 MegaVolt Amperes (MVA). It will serve as a substitute during the course of the repair, which might last for 8 months to 1 year for each substation.
“Operations of the existing substations will be stopped while undergoing full rehabilitation and be transferred to the new 30MVA mobile substation so as to keep serving the feeders and its customers”, Castro explained.
The Turkey-based Aktif Elektroteknik recently welcomed the engineers and procurement team of MORE Power in its 7500 sqm factory in Ankara, during their factory acceptance test just this June.
The team is composed of three engineers of MORE Power namely Mark Anthony A. Molano, the Substation and Equipment Testing Assistant Manager, Wilmar J. Gonzaludo, the Substation Project Manager, Paterno C. Cabangisan
OIC-Head, Project Development and Management Department, and the Legal Officer Atty. Allana Mae Babayen-on.
The supplier, Aktif Elektroteknik was established in 1981 and has been operating with more than 40 years of manufacturing experience, modernized machinery lines like Medium Voltage Air Insulated (AIS) Switchgears, Mobile Substations, Package Substations, and Kiosks.
The mobile substation is expected to arrive in Iloilo City in August and will be stationed at the Molo substation for immediate testing and energization. This is the second mobile substation acquired by MORE Power. The first, a 10MVA mobile substation, was established last 2020 and placed in Megaworld to address the big demand and unstable voltage of the Iloilo Business District and stabilize the critical load of the Mandurriao substation.
MORE Power aims to further improve the distribution of electricity in Iloilo City by making it more efficient, sufficient, and reliable, to lure more investors and better serve their increasing number of consumers.
Update as of August 2022: New City Proper Substation. More Electric and Power Corporation (More Power Iloilo), Iloilo City’s sole power distributor, marked another milestone in its two years of operations in the metro: with the groundbreaking and time capsule laying of its new 33MVA City Proper substation and Control Center. The event was held in MORE Power’s City Proper facility in partnership with HANSEI Corp last Aug 16, 2022.
The City Proper Substation is the oldest substation in operation, with equipment dating as far as 1964. With this, the high-voltage equipment can no longer cope with the rapid economic development of Iloilo City. Moreover, the equipment is no longer at par in terms of functionality and capability. In response, MORE Power initiated the replacement of the old 20MVA power transformer from 1989 and replaced it with a new 33 MVA power transformer.
A substation is more than just its power transformer. A lot of its equipment such as power circuit breakers, switchgear, and protection relays still needs replacement and upgrades to bring it to the level of today’s modern standards. The New City Proper Substation aims to address outdated equipment and replace them with modern technology in design and operation.
Most of the substation’s operations are done manually but with the upgrading of the systems, operations will be automated and controlled by intelligent electronic devices with the capability to perform advanced functions such as reclosing and event recording. Given these, it will enable the facility to be more efficient.
In addition, the Control Center project will be the heart of MORE Power’s distribution system. The Control Center will be fitted with state-of-the-art hardware and software that will be able to remotely control and operate MORE’s substation and reclosers through a SCADA system. This Control Center will significantly improve response time and decision-making during fault events that cause power interruptions.
MORE Power President and Chief Executive Officer Roel Z. Castro said the new facility is part of the company’s commitment to upgrade the city’s power distribution grid.
“When we came in from two and a half years ago, we realized the magnitude of work that we have to do. All of you have been seeing the kind of rehabilitation we have been doing, and the effect of the rehabilitation in terms of our interruptions it has really been down over 90%, in terms of duration, it has been down by over again 95%. This is the kind of service, this is the kind of commitment, and this is our commitment to the consumers of Iloilo,” Castro said.
Castro confirmed that they are “not holding back on plans to make Iloilo one of the most modern cities outside of Metro Manila. We, in MORE Power, together with our shareholder, are committed on those plans. We are bound to make it happen.” Castro stressed.
“This is a significant milestone for the construction of the City Proper substation. This project will eventually provide a reliable and sustainable power supply and will complement the economic growth and development of the City of Iloilo. With the kind support and cooperation of all stakeholders, we assure you that we will do our best efforts for the timely or early completion of this project,” stressed Rodolfo Nuyda of HANSEI Corp, the project contractor.
Francis Cruz, representing Mayor Jerry Treñas, cited improvements.
“Back then, we had brownouts, we had outages. Because back then, there were no upgrades. We have the highest power cost in the country. Now we have the lowest power cost in the country. Thank you to MORE. Thank you to Roel so much for that. This is a manifestation of true, deeply rooted public and private partnerships. We should remember that as MORE would provide lower power costs, would provide reliable, stable power. It would be easy for us also to bring in investors,” Cruz said.
Update as of August 2022: Iloilo Province Expansion. Electricity consumers in the expansion areas of More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power Iloilo) should expect brand-new substations, concrete poles, electrical wires, transformers, electric meters, and new vehicles. This was revealed by the private distribution utility of Iloilo City after the amended bill of their franchise lapsed into law last July 30.
Republic Act 11918 expands MORE Power’s coverage area to 15 municipalities and one city which includes Pavia, Sta. Barbara, Alimodian, Leon, San Miguel, New Lucena, Zarraga, Leganes, Dumangas, Btac. Nuevo, Dingle, Dueñas, Banate, Anilao, San Enrique and Passi City.
In the Power Utilities round table discussion initiated by the Iloilo Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion (LEDIP) yesterday, MORE Power President and Chief Executive Officer Roel Castro said that the company is very much prepared. It has already put up primary lines along the boundaries of Pavia and Iloilo City.
A new 30MVA substation in Megaworld in Mandurriao district is in the works, which will temporarily serve the power requirements of the area in Pavia once everything is in place.
Moreover, MORE Power has purchased the necessary equipment and materials which will initially be used in outlining the service areas. Likewise, the company already hired additional personnel to perform the tasks. The distribution utility estimates around 5 years before they will be able to finish the entire scope of work for the 15 towns and Passi City. The power distribution utility company is just waiting for the official communication coming from Congress and Malacañang on the effectivity of the law.
“We must remember nga ini isa ka kasuguan kag dapat namon ini nga tumanon insigida once nga mag take effect na sya”, says Castro.
MORE Power Iloilo Province Expansion: There will be no take-over. Instead, Iloilo Electric Cooperatives will still be operating in these areas. According to Castro, this is very beneficial for the consumers because they will be given a choice of who they want to provide them with a quality and better service. MORE Power is open to discussions with the ILECOs on possible partnerships and collaboration for the benefit of the consumers.
“Mag reach out kami sa ila. There’s a way that we can cooperate for the convenience sang consumers kag indi sila mabutang sa alang-alang”, according to the President of MORE Power.
New Megaworld Substation
As the expansion now becomes a law and the economy is gradually returning to normal thus requiring additional capacities from the distribution utility to serve the growing demand of the City. MORE Power fast-tracked the construction of the new and state-of-the-art substation at the Iloilo Business Park.
“The substation will not only improve the distribution system but also add more loading capacity in the city of Iloilo and for the initial requirement of Pavia”, Roel Castro said, “This substation will be equipped with modern machinery and equipment adapting to the newest technology in the market today, and one of those is the 30/36 MegaVolt Amperes (MVA) ABB/Hitachi Power Transformer,” he added.
Last June 30 to July 4, 2022, the MORE Power team visited the factory of Hitachi Energy at ABB/Hitachi SPT Factory in Hanoi, Vietnam to personally witness the factory acceptance test (FAT) to ensure that all transformer’s part specifications are within the acceptable standards. All equipment spare parts were also secured and will be included in the shipment as part of the specified agreement in the contract.
The team was composed of three engineers from MORE Power, namely Roy Majarucon, Project Control, and Administration Manager; Filomeno Sonza, Jr., Protection Manager; and Angelo Bernaldez, the Sub-transmission Line Project Supervisor. Prefer Electrical Engineering & Supply, the main contractor who won the bidding for the 30/36 Megaworld Substation Project, facilitated the factory acceptance test.
This power transformer is equipped with notable brand components. To mention some, it’s On-load Tap Changer. OLTC is manufactured by MR Germany, which is considered by some to be the Mercedes Benz of all OLTCs. The power transformer’s conservator and tap changer are equipped with a “self-dehydrating breather”, manufactured by COMEM Group Italy.
Unlike the conventional transformers, which use silica gel to dehydrate the conservator and tap changer tanks from moisture, this self-dehydrating equipment will continuously secure these tanks and you need not worry about site inspections and silica gel replacements. It is also equipped with a digital interface for easy connection to smart grid applications and can be integrated into a system through a central control unit.
Furthermore, MORE Power added an online Dissolve Gas Analyzer (DGA) for all gases. During operation, gases are formed within the power transformer as a by-product of chemical reactions. These gases are analyzed and can be translated into the actual condition of the transformers. Oil samples are typically extracted from power transformers and sent to a chemical laboratory for testing and analysis, which can take weeks. But with the online DGA, gases are analyzed, translated, and monitored in real-time. Having this advantage, you can monitor the actual condition and life expectancy of the power transformer, thus preventing long and unscheduled outages in the future.
The 30/36MVA Power Transformer is expected to arrive in Iloilo City this August and is expected to be energized in the last quarter of this year in time for the peak season and implementation of Phase 1 of the expansion.
