BENECO Upgrades Lamut Substation with New 50 MVA Transformer
BY: Nadine Losnong & Laarni Ilagan
The Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) has strengthened its power distribution capabilities with the delivery of a new 50 MVA (megavolt-ampere) transformer to the Lamut Substation, replacing a decades-old 10 MVA unit.
The upgrade, which triples the substation’s capacity, is part of BENECO’s strategic plan to meet the growing electricity demand in Baguio City and surrounding Benguet municipalities.
This aligns with the cooperative’s C-A-R-E-S framework, with “C” standing for Capacity.
“This isn’t just about increasing capacity, it’s also about strengthening the stability and resilience of our system,” said BENECO General Manager Engr. Melchor Licoben during the arrival of the transformer.
The new 50 MVA unit will operate alongside an existing 20 MVA transformer, significantly boosting the substation’s ability to support the anticipated load increase from its 31,828 customers.
The Lamut Substation powers Feeders 11, 12, and 14, which supply electricity to residential and commercial areas including South Drive, Loakan, Tuding, and Pacdal, as well as major business zones such as Camp John Hay, Alphaland, and the Baguio Country Club.
Beyond increasing local capacity, the transformer is also expected to improve system resilience by providing power redundancy to other substations. These include the Sanitary Camp Substation (serving Baguio General Hospital), the Dalicno NGCP Substation (serving the Philippine Military Academy), and the Atok Substation (serving Kibungan and Kapangan).
Installation and testing of the new unit are underway and are expected to be completed within the next few weeks. Once energized, the upgraded facility will be fully operational. photo courtesy of Beneco
