NSSDEO, Brgy. Burabud, Laoang, Northern Samar-Five (5) technical personnel from the DPWH RO8 Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division (QAHD) visited the Northern Samar 2nd District Engineering Office last April 13, 2023 and made courtesy call with OIC District Engineer Charlito S. Carlobos.
The group came in to conduct periodic calibration of various equipment of the materials testing laboratory of NSSDEO in conformance with Department Order No. 184 series of 2022 otherwise known as Revised Guidelines for the Calibration of Testing Equipment of DPWH Implementing Offices.
The team was headed by Engr. Sheena Lou Ramos together with her staffs namely Vanessa De Veyra, Leonisa Oballo and Mark Justin Lauzon, all laboratory technicians, and Crisanto Capoquian, data encoder.
Quality Assurance Section personnel head by Engr. Eduardo Lagrimas, chief of QAS together with Materials Testing Unit Engr. Ma. Luzyl Castillo, Engr. Lauro Mabait Jr. as well as laboratory technicians Illuminada Cawasa, Remedious Nitor, Roger Ching and Alberto Garcelazo all assisted the activity.
Meanwhile the regional team also conducted a written examination to the NSSDEO material engineers and laboratory technicians to evaluate their competencies.
The assessment and calibration of testing equipment and apparatuses are regularly done to maintain its good condition; check and detect possible damages or malfunctions; ensure that they still generate reliable and accurate results in the testing process of materials used in the implementation of infrastructure projects.
OIC District Engineer Carlobos said that the NSSDEO ensures that its QAS technical personnel possessed the highest standard qualifications and efficiency in their performance of duties. (PR)
More foreign entities vie for offshore wind projects
The Philippines continues to attract foreign investors interested to develop the country’s offshore wind (OSW) resources following the removal of foreign ownership restrictions on renewable energy (RE). The latest foreign firm awarded a service contract is a 100 percent owned one called the Copenhagen Infrastructure New Markets Fund (CINMF), affiliated with the Danish Fund Manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) – a global leader in OSWQ.
Per the Department of Energy (DOE) bulletin, there are already 3 projects have a combined capacity of 2,000 megawatts (MW) located in the provinces of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, offshore of Northern Samar, and offshore of Pangasinan and La Union. Accordingly, each project has signed for a 25-year operating period.
The terms of the service contracts states that “these agreements represent an additional strategic investment and a firm commitment to strengthen the renewable energy sector in the country, particularly the development of OSW,” per DOE management.
Some of the advantages foreseen by DOE, after approving the service contracts with the 3 CINMF funded projects once operational are the following:
– development of local supply demand chain;
– creation of about 4,500 jobs during the development and operations;
– generate enough power to
– supply about 1 million households; and,
– offset about 2.9 million tons in CO2 emissions annually.
MY COMMENT:
We in science and technology are elated to find S/T in action such as tapping the OSW resources in the Philippines. These bountiful resources have attracted foreign investors in R, latest being few 100 percent foreign-owned like the CINMF. Personally elated for the inclusion of the Northern Samar Offshore in the initial 3 CINMF funded OSW projects.
ooo000ooo
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