February 25, 2019 | 12:20 am
THE Energy
Investment Coordinating Council (EICC) has certified as energy projects of
national significance several projects led by state-led National Power Corp.
(Napocor) and privately owned National Grid Corporation of the Philippines
(NGCP).
Up to 32 small capacity
diesel-fired power plant projects by Napocor and 29 projects by NGCP were issued
certification last month by the EICC, an interagency panel led by
representatives from the Department of Energy (DoE).
A certificate that an
energy project is of national significance entitles project proponents to all
the rights privileges provided for under Executive Order 30 series of 2017,
including action on the application within 30 working days.
Certified projects also
enjoy presumption of prior approval, that is, they are presumed to have already
complied with the requirements and permits from other government permitting
agencies.
It will be deemed
approved if no action is taken five days after the lapse of the 30 working-day
period for processing of the application.
All of the certified
Napocor projects are for diesel-fired power plants with capacity ranging from
as small as 10-kilowatt per unit to as big as 1.5 megawatts (MW). The biggest
is the Dinagat diesel-fired power plant, which has two units, each with an
identical capacity of 1.5 MW.
The certificates for
the Napocor projects were dated either on Jan. 16 or Jan. 29, 2019
The NGCP projects are
mostly for the construction or upgrade of transmission lines, while some are
substations. One certificate is for the Subic-Olongapo 500-kilovolt (kV)
transmission backbone.
Another NGCP project
seeks to interconnect power transmission between the island of Mindoro and
Batangas province.
The EICC was created
pursuant to EO 30, which was issued on June 28, 2017, in order to spearhead and
coordinate efforts to harmonize, integrate and streamline the regulatory
processes and relevant forms in the development of nationally significant
energy investments.
The DoE in the exercise
of its supervisory power has the right to amend, alter or revoke the
certificate for the pre-development phase in cases of irregularity and
violations in the conditions for which the certificate was issued.
The DoE has said that
the attributes of a nationally significant project are capital investment of
P3.5 billion; significant contribution to the country’s economic development;
significant consequential economic impact; significant potential contribution
to the country’s balance of payments; significant impact on the environment;
significant complex technical processes and engineering designs; and
significant infrastructure requirement. — Victor V. Saulon
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