The National Electrification Administration (NEA) has started the virtual inspection for its off-grid rural electrification project in light of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
The NEA Total Electrification and Renewable Energy Development Department (TEREDD) together with the Iloilo III Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ILECO III) recently completed the conduct of virtual Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) or FAT-Light for the solar photovoltaic (PV) mainstreaming project intended for off-grid communities.
FAT-Light is a series of tests carried out via video conferencing technology.
FAT-Light, as NEA TEREDD explained, is a series of tests carried out via video conferencing technology to ensure the “quality and the workmanship of the solar home system units” prior to delivery and installation to a beneficiary.
NEA TEREDD manager Ernesto Silvano Jr. said this process is normally conducted on-site where the equipment or the parts of the solar home system unit are being manufactured.
“Due to the pandemic situation, the NEA is forced to look for other means of conducting the FAT without compromising the safety and health of its employees and partner ECs, while also ensuring the quality of equipment being procured,” he said.
“FAT-Light is patterned after the normal FAT. The same criteria and standards are being observed using the same checklist as with the normal FAT. The only difference is that it is conducted via video conferencing,” he added.
Once the successful bidder passes the FAT-Light, ILECO III will then issue an approval for the delivery and installation of SHS units.
On September 18, the NEA and ILECO III completed the virtual FAT, with Propmech Corporation and its partner technology provider in China, for the electric cooperative’s solar home system units.
ILECO III is one of the five beneficiaries of the NEA’s PV mainstreaming project.
The FAT Light includes testing of Battery and Battery Management System, PV module, Charge Controller, Vending Management System (VMS), Light Emitting Diode, lamps, and Visual Screening.
Once the successful bidder passes the FAT-Light, ILECO III will then issue an approval for the delivery and installation of SHS units to the chosen off-grid communities.
Other EC beneficiaries of the PV mainstreaming project include Busuanga Island Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BISELCO), Camarines Sur IV Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CASURECO IV), Cotabato Electric Cooperative, Inc. (COTELCO), and Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ZANECO).