Power firm seeks permission for new transmission lines in Visayas

MANILA, Philippines—The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is seeking regulatory approval to undertake a  P36-billion Cebu-Negros-Panay interconnection project, to prepare the grid for an additional 491 megawatts of new capacity coming in by 2016.

In a statement, the NGCP said it has already filed an application with the Energy Regulatory Commission to implement the first stage of the project, which will entail necessary facility expansion and line upgrades to ensure overall reliability of the Visayas grid.

“The CNP project is intended to address potential overloading of the Negros-Panay and Bacolod-Magalona lines due to the addition of generation plants in Panay island by 2016,” the NGCP said. “Based on NGCP’s 2011 Transmission Development Plan (TDP), 10 generating plants will be constructed on Panay island by 2016, with a total capacity of 491 MW. This increase in capacity will cause significant excess in generated power on the island hence, the need for new transmission lines to export the excess power to other islands in the Visayas.”

According to the NGCP, the Cebu-Negros-Panay project will involve the installation of additional submarine cables; construction of overhead transmission lines; and expansion of the Barotac Viejo substation, E.B Magalona cable terminal station (CTS), and Bacolod substation.

The project will also extend the existing 230-kilovolt transmission corridor from Compostela Substation in Cebu to Panay through a combination of submarine cables and overhead transmission lines which will pass through Negros island.

When completed, the project is expected to add a total of 238 circuit kilometers  of transmission lines to the NGCP’s facilities.

NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Perez-Alabanza said the company has high hopes for the approval of the project.

“NGCP’s goals are always geared toward increasing the stability and reliability of the grid. Our long-term plans include uniting the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao grids. This CNP project will move our cause one step toward that goal,” Alabanza said.

The NGCP currently operates, maintains and develops the country’s three main grids. It transmits high-voltage electricity through “power superhighways” that include the interconnected system of transmission lines and towers, substations and related assets.