Published
By Myrna M. Velasco
The flurry of blueprinted ventures that were certified as “energy projects of
national significance” (EPNS) cornered total investments of P681.94 billion,
according to the Department of Energy-led Energy Investment Coordinating
Council.
The department said it
received 393 applications for EPNS projects as of June 17 this year; and out of
the total, 145 projects were granted with certifications; while 31 applicants
are still under evaluation.
The number of denied applications summed up to 142 projects; while 74 projects
were returned or their proponents have been notified of non-compliance to form
and/or documentary requirements.
The EPNS projects are
those that qualify to be extended with streamlined project permitting and
licenses, preferably an approval within 30 days, as prescribed under Executive
Order No. 30 that was issued by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2017.
Among the big-ticket
projects with EPNS certifications are the P51 billion Visayas-Mindanao
Interconnection Project (VMIP) of the National Grid Corporation of the
Philippines (NGCP); the proposed US$1.0 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG)
import facility of First Gen Corporation at its Clean Energy Complex in
Batangas; the US$1.7 billion Dinginin coal-fired power plant joint venture of
the Aboitiz and Ayala groups; the proposed US$1.0 billion Alimit hydropower
project of the Aboitiz Group; and the planned US$3.0 billion Atimonan
coal-fired power project of Meralco PowerGen Corporation, the power investment
subsidiary of Manila Electric Company.
Other than the VMIP, private transmission firm NGCP similarly proposed 28 more
projects with approved cost of P90.291 billion and had already been given
go-signal for implementation by the Energy Regulatory Commission.
The NGCP transmission
projects are critical expansion and reinforcement of facilities to address load
growth and power supply reliability in the country’s electricity system.
“The issuance of EPNS
by the EICC is critical for the on-time completion of these projects,” the
company said; while noting that streamlined approvals and permitting “will
enable us to expedite our plans and programs and efficiently cater to the needs
of our stakeholders to provide a more resilient power grid.”
The other
EPNS-certified projects are the power facilities being installed by state-run
National Power Corporation (NPC) along off-grid areas in various parts of the
country, so quality of life and economic activities can be spurred in these
jurisdictions.
Also in the DOE-EICC’s roll are the 600MW Pagbilao LNG integrated power and
import facility venture; the Kalinga geothermal project of Aragorn Power and
Energy Corporation; Talim wind power project of Island Wind Energy Corporation;
Kibungan Badeo pumped storage project of Coheco Badeo Corporation; Masbate
coal-fired plant of DMCI Power Corporation; biogas power plant of First Quezon
Biogas Corporation; Pangasinan waste-to-energy project of Green Atom Renewable
Energy Corporation; Sarangani solar power project of Total Power Inc.;
Kauswagan coal-fired plant of GNPower Ltd. Co.; Ilaguen hydropower project of
Rio Norte Hydro Corporation; Rizal wind power project of Rizal Wind Energy
Corporation; Palawan coal-fired power project of DMCI Power; Sablan 1
hydropower project of Hedcor Inc. of the Aboitiz group; Mindoro harvest energy
power block of Power One Corporation; Maladugao hydroelectric power project of
Bukidnon Maladugao Hydropower Corporation; Mahanagdong geothermal optimization
project of Energy Development Corporation; and the Mount Malinao geothermal
project of Philippine Geothermal.
Two oil and gas
exploration projects are also in the list; as proposed by Galoc Production
Company at the Galoc oil field in Palawan; and the Service Contract 59 of
state-run Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation along
offshore southwest Palawan.
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