By
Lenie Lectura - October 16, 2017
GOKONGWEI-led Universal
Robina Corp. (URC) has secured approval from regulators for its transmission
facility in the Visayas region.
The Energy Regulatory
Commission (ERC) announced it approved URC’s application to build a point-to-point
(P2P) transmission facility to connect the firm’s 46-megawatt (MW)
biomass-power plant in Negros Occidental to the Visayas grid. “The approval of
URC’s application will redound to the benefit of the power consumers in terms
of continuous, quality, reliable and efficient power supply,” the ERC said in a
17-page decision docketed in September.
The ERC allowed the URC
to develop and own a dedicated P2P limited transmission facilities to connect
the Kabankalan plant to the Visayas grid through the transmission system of the
National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).
However, one condition
the ERC asks is for URC to turn over to the NGCP the switchyard and its
associated facilities that have transmission function. URC would also have to
pay a permit fee of P929,430.55.
The said transmission
facility is necessary for the power plant to deliver its generated power
through the 69-kilovolt (kV) Kabankalan-Mabinay transmission facility of the
NGCP. The project cost is estimated at P123,924,973.21.
The plant will use
bagasse, a sugarcane by-product from URC’s sugar mill, as feedstock. URC’s
sugar mill in Kabankalan has a capacity of about 9,000 tons per day. The plant
is URC’s foray into renewable energy.
Half of its output will
be used by the firm’s sugar mill. The other half will go to the national grid
under a 25-year operating contract with the energy department.
Asiaphil Manufacturing
Industries Inc. had been tapped for the detailed engineering and design,
complete supply of materials and equipment including delivery, installation and
commissioning of the plant. URC also engaged the Power System Research and
Consultancy Group for the supply of engineering services.
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