NGCP pushing unified grid for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao

Manila Times.net

Written by Madelaine B. Miraflor Reporter  Published on 22 May 2013

The Henry Sy-led National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP)is pushing for its major transmission and interconnection developments as it plans to form a unified grid for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

NGCP is proposing six major transmission backbone and interconnection projects as part of its Transmission Development Plan (TDP).

“In this years TDP, we are proposing six new major transmission projects—five of which were identified for accelerated implementation—in order to increase the grid’s capacity to handle a significant amount of additional power output coming from new power development projects,” Henry Sy Jr., president of NGCP, said.

The projects that NGCP is planning to work on are the Laoag-Bangui and Tuguegarao-Magapit Segments of the Northern Luzon 230-kilovolt (kV) backbone; Hermosa-Castillejos-Masinloc Line (part of Western Luzon 500-kV backbone); Antipolo EHV, Pasay and Manila 230-kV substations and Hermosa-San Jose 500-kV line (part of Metro Manila 500-kV backbone loop); Batangas-Mindoro Interconnection; Cebu-Negros-Panay 230-kV backbone and the Leyte-Mindanao interconnection.

“Upon the implementation of these projects, Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao grids will have a stronger transmission backbone and a unified grid interconnected via HVDC [high current direct current] system,” the company said.

As planned, these projects will be implemented by stages subject to the approval of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

“These major projects will address the aggressive construction timelines of new power plants, including those tapping renewable energy sources, which requires grid reinforcements. These, however, are not part of the ERC-approved capex [capital expenditure] for the third regulatory period [2011-2015],” the lawyer Cynthia Perez-Alabanza, NGCP spokesperson and head of corporate communications, said.

“Nevertheless, NGCP is willing to pursue these crucial projects once approval from ERC is obtained,” she added.   source