DOE certifies power projects of national significance

By Lenie Lectura – February 15, 2019
from Business Mirror

THE Department of Energy (DOE) has certified the power projects of the country’s grid operator, the power state firm and a joint venture between AC Energy Inc. and Aboitiz Power Corp. as energy projects of national significance (EPNS).

GN Power Dinginin Ltd. Co.’s 2 x 668 megawatt (MW) supercritical clean-coal fired power plant in Bataan was issued a EPNS certificate this month by the DOE.

GN Power Dinginin is a joint venture of the power arm of Ayala Corp., AboitizPower subsidiary Therma Power and Power Partners. Construction of the first unit is in full swing and is scheduled for completion this year. The plant uses an Alstom steam turbine generator.

Meanwhile, 32 projects of the National Power Corp. (NPC) were also issued EPNS certificates.

These are the 300-kilowatt Palimbang diesel power plant, 500-kW Ninoy Aquino DPP, 200-kW Sacol DPP, 200-kW Talicud DPP, 1,000-kW Basilan DPP, 300-kW and 2 x 200-kW Balut DPP, 200-kW Hikdop DPP, 300-kW and 2 x 200-kW Balimbing DPP, 1,500-kW Kalamansig DPP, 600-kW Sibutu DPP, 3-MW Dinagat DPP, 100-kW Sibanag DPP, 100-kW Gibusong DPP, 400-kW Manuk Mangkaw DPP, 500-kW Sitangkal DPP, 300-kW and 2 x 100-kW Tandubas DPP, 600-kW Tandubanak DPP, 40-kW Manalipa DPP, 40-kW Tumaloptap DPP, 10-kW Great Sta. Cruz DPP, 200-KW Tausan DPP, 300-kW Saranggani DPP, 90-kW Tictabon DPP, 150-kW Tapiana DPP, 150-kW Taganak DPP, 150-kW Tampakan DPP, 150-kW Lugus DPP, 150-kW Saluping DPP, 10-kW Pangapuyan and 1,000-kW Ninoy Aquino DPP, 1,200-kW West Simunul DPP and 1,200 Mapun DPP.  All EPNS-certified projects of NPC are in commercial operation. The certificates were issued last month. The DOE also issued last month EPNS certificates to 29 power transmission projects of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

These are San Jose-Angat 115-kiloVolt transmission line upgrading, San Jose-Quezon 230-kV TL, Manila (Navotas) 230-kV substation, Pasay 230-kV substation, Taguig EHV substation, Taguig-Taytay 230-kV TL, Marilao EHV substation, Manila (Navotas)-Dona Imelda 230-kV TL, Bataan 230-kV grid reinforcement, Mariveles-Hermosa 500-kV TL, Pagbilao EHV substation, Hermosa-San Jose 500-kV TL, Tuguegarao-Magapit 230-kV TL, Calaca-Dasmariñas 230-kV TL, Tuy 500/230-kV substation project stage 1, Western 500-kV Backbone (stage 1), Batangas-Mindoro  interconnection, Ambuklao-Binga 230-kV TL upgrading, Binga-San Miguel 230k-V TL, San Miguel-Nagsaag 230-kV TL, Pagbilao-Tayabas 500-kV TL, Hermosa-Floridablanca 69-kV TL, Tanuan 230-kV substation, Concepcion-Sta. Ignacia 69-kV TL, Nagsaag-Tumana 69-kV  TL, San Simon 230-kV substation and Pinili 230-kV substation. As of February 4, the DOE has issued 74 EPNS certificates. It has also declined seven applications. It said that 253 applications are currently being evaluated.

The 12 other power projects certified by the DOE are the 100-MW Sarangani solar power project of Total Power Inc.; Visayas-Mindanao Interconnection Project of the NGCP; Kalinga geothermal power project of Aragorn Power and Energy Corp., the 151.2-MW Talim wind power project of Island Wind Energy Corp., the  2×600-MW coal project of  Atimonan One Energy Inc., the Coal Operating Contracts 185 and 186 of the Philippine National Oil Co.-Exploration Corp.’s, 500-MW pumped storage hydropower project of Coheco Badeo Corp., the 650-MW Pagbilao combined cycle gas turbine power plant of Energy World, 15-MW Masbate coal plant of DMCI Power Corp., 1.2-MW biogas power plant project of First Quezon Biogas Corp. and the 6-MW Pangasinan Green Atom Waste to Energy project of Green Atom Renewable Energy Corp.

The issuance of EPNS certificates is stipulated under Executive Order 30, which states that concerned government agencies shall act upon applications for permits not exceeding within a 30-day period. If no decision is made within the specified processing timeframe, the application is deemed approved by the concerned agency.