VSU to invest 50 million pesos this year for new University Power Plant

Soon VSU will no longer suffer from unforeseen or planned power outages with this new power plant housing a new backup power source enough to supply electricity for the whole campus.

In 2020, a project proposal was crafted by Engr. Marlon G. Burlas, Head of VSU Power Plant requesting to replace the existing old power generator of the university with a new generator set (genset) that will provide an ample power supply to all offices and research units with machinery, devices, and equipment dependent on electricity.

The purpose of the project is not only to address low productivity during electrical blackouts but also to protect the controlled environment or temperature in research centers and laboratories.

Although VSU already has a generator, according to the VSU Physical Plant Director Engr. Mario Lilio P. Valenzona, it is not enough to energize all offices and units of the university.

“Since the university is expanding, our old generator can no longer cope whenever there are power interruptions. When there are blackouts during the daytime, we can only give power supply to the administration building as the most important transactions are being made there. Other than the admin, we cannot accommodate all the departments’ needs due to the insufficient power capacity of our current generator. That’s the purpose why we seek to procure a new genset capable of powering up the whole university in times of power outages,” he revealed.

Engr. Valenzona shared that the present generator of VSU has a rated capacity of 350 kVA (kilo-volt-amperes) or 280 kilowatts only and is still the same generator that has been in function during ViSCA (Visayas State College of Agriculture) days. This generator was a loan package from the World Bank to provide electricity from 6 pm to 10 pm on the campus, before LEYECO, the electric cooperative in Leyte was granted by the National Electrification Administration the authority to operate electric light and power service in Baybay City in the early 1970s.

Last year, they were informed that the proposal was granted with a budget allotment of PhP 50M which will be divided into two components, the 42M will be allocated for the purchase of a new power generator, a 1.5MW Generator Set with automatic transfer switch (this includes 3 generators with 625 kVA, 400 VAC (volts alternating current). This will serve as a readily available standby power that will hopefully energize all offices and units, including the dormitories in the upper and lower campus in times of power outage.

The remaining 8M will be devoted to the construction of the new 2-storey power plant building including a new office for the Power Plant Head and a conference room.

As for the recent update from Engr. Burlas, the bidding process of the project is still in its initial stage and will be waiting for the final approval of the VSU Board of Regents before the construction of the building commences.

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