ISO Certification Journey
The National Power Corporation Small Power Utilities Group Visayas operations is raising the bar of quality in they operations by adapting ISO 9001:2015 compliant management system. Together with AGF Consulting Group, one of Southeast Asia’s leading ISO consulting firms, NPC-SPUG is at its final phase of its ISO certification journey.
“This would only mean better, faster and more reliable services to NPC-SPUG’s clients and partners. ISO 9001:2015 is the latest edition of quality management system standard published by the International Organisation for Standardisation. With stronger emphasis on leadership, risk-based thinking and of course strengthening customer focus, I am very sure that National Power Corporation Small Power Utilities Group Visayas operations would only be a more robust organisation” said Jong Fernandez, AGF Consulting Group.
Historical Background of SPUG
In 1988, President Corazon C. Aquino directed NPC and NEA to impose a ceiling of Php 2.50 per kWh selling rate of electricity in the islands and isolated grids not connected to the major transmission networks of NPC. To implement the directive, the cost of generation and delivery of electric power had to be subsidised by the government to sustain operation of the power facilities.
This facilitated government-owned NPC’s takeover of the generating facilities and 69 kV T/L of various electric cooperatives (ECs) nationwide. The takeover was supported by MOAs between NPC, NEA and the ECs. The Small Island and Isolated Grids (SIIG) group was created by NPC sometime in 1988 primarily to manage the operation of these facilities.
Around the latter part of the 1980s to early 1990s, power shortages gripped the country into a crisis. One of the measures implemented by NPC was the formation of the Integrated Barge Management Group (IBMG) to bring together the operation of the different power barges into a single unit. The barges with smaller capacities – such as, the 2 MW, 3 MW, 7.2 MW and 14.4 MW power barges – operated in some of the areas of SIIG.
When the power crisis started winding down with the installation of new and larger baseload power capacities, a number of power barges were scheduled for sale and disposal. In 1996, the function of IBMG was merged with that of SIIG, giving birth to what is now known as the Small Power Utilities Group or SPUG.**
ISO 9001:2015 in the Energy Sector
ISO 9001:2015 sets out the criteria for a quality management system and is the only standard in the 9000 family that can be certified to (although this is not a requirement). It can be used by any organization, large or small, regardless of its field of activity.
In fact, there are over one million companies and organizations in over 170 countries certified to ISO 9001. This standard is based on a number of quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach and continual improvement.
Using ISO 9001:2015 helps ensure that customers get consistent, good quality products and services, which in turn brings many business benefits.***
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