Negros Power Operates with the Automatic Circuit Recloser (ACR)

So many of the unscheduled brownouts that we experience in Bacolod City and Central Negros are caused by very superficial reasons. Some of these are everyday things falling on the main lines, like tree branches, lizards, or geckos. Sometimes, it’s movement caused by either the wind, or rain, or both. When that happens, we are getting more interruptions and longer restoration time than we should. This is where the automatic circuit recloser (ACR) comes in and Negros Power is bringing in 40 of these to their area of coverage as part of their initial plan to minimize the incidence of brownouts.

In a recent press conference, NEPC President and CEO Roel Castro announced the arrival of eight (8) Automatic Circuit Reclosers (ACRs) as part of its commitment to improving the reliability of the power supply in Negros Occidental. He highlighted the significance of this technology and how it will help prevent inconveniences for consumers.

What is an Automatic Circuit Recloser (ACR)?

From its name, an Automatic Circuit Recloser (ACR) is an advanced device designed to automatically detect and respond to temporary faults in the electrical distribution system. It will immediately “close” temporary gaps in the system so that power can be restored immediately.

Why the Need for ACRs

Whenever the system would detect faults on the line, such as tree branches or animals touching power lines, the protective equipment would shut the power off to prevent damage.

If Negros Power is made aware of the interruption through customer incidence reports, it would dispatch a crew immediately to investigate the issue. But they cannot do it automatically. They would arrive on the scene and still manually trace the source of the issue to fix it. This takes a lot of time and effort, which the consumers do not appreciate because it means longer brownouts.

The introduction of ACRs will dramatically reduce unscheduled power interruptions.

For one, the ACRs will allow Negros Power to sectionalize very long power lines. It was explained that some power lines have more than 10,000 consumers connected to it. If so much as one gecko trips the line, all 10,000 consumers will experience power interruptions. Even just half of them would call the hotline, it would mean 5,000 people trying to call the phones at once.

But sectionalizing the lines means there will be fewer consumers connected to each line, so when there is a simple outage, only that section will experience brownouts. Moreover, the ACR will also automatically restore the supply if the fault is resolved. This will significantly reduce the waiting time for consumers.

What to Expect

ACRs work by reconnecting power ASAP. There might be brief power interruptions lasting about five seconds as the ACRs perform their function. This is a normal part of the process and means that the ACR is working.

However, if the ACR detects that there is still a problem after restoring power, it will shut off again. This time, the system will remain off for another 80 seconds. If the issue persists after 80 seconds, it means that manual intervention is required. To prevent further damages, the ACR will shut off the system for a third time until a crew has manually resolved the problem.

Consumers need not worry about the power shut off as they are compliant with the Philippine Distribution Code. It is safe from surges and

Working On

Mr. Castro continues to assure the public that they working on improving the old system. “The system we inherited in not standard. Give us the space and time to standardize the operations,” he said. Hence, the 5-year modernization plan for Negros Power.

Read: Negros Power and Its 5-Year Development Plan