Tuesday, September 11, 2012

NPC-SPUG On Gensets’ ‘Shopping Spree’

..MANILA, Philippines - For lack of options, state-run National Power Corporation (NPC) is currently on a ''shopping spree'' for diesel-generating sets to meet the electricity needs of its Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) domains. In a bid notice, the company has been soliciting tenders for 14 diesel gensets at 600 kilowatts (kW) capacity to be deployed in various off-grid areas in the country. The bid opening date is slated this September 13, and the supply and delivery of the gensets had approved budget cost of P97.9 million. NPC has been pursuing various power projects that can sustainably meet the long-term electricity needs of the SPUG areas. But with such initiatives still fledgling, the company's best bet would be to deploy gensets in the areas needing some shoring up in their power supply. NPC has noted that six of the gensets will have to be delivered in Luzon off-grid areas; while Visayas domains will need five; and Mindanao will get the three others. The company said the supplier of the gensets shall also take charge in the delivery, installation and commissioning of the units. It added that the genset unit to be procured for Batanes and Sitangkai areas will have particular requirements, such as a 1x2 megavolt ampere transformer; and that the genset must have a skid-mounted control and protection panel. Interested parties are required to have at least 10 years of experience in the provision of the same type of service from the date of submission of their respective bids. The company similarly apprised parties that at the pre-bid conference, only those who have purchased the bidding documents will be allowed to attend and raise their respective concerns on the auction process. ''All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in bidding documents. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidder's representatives,'' NPC said. ..