DOE names more energy projects of national significance

By Lenie Lectura – May 30, 2019
from Business Mirror

THE power projects of SN Aboitiz Power Group, PNOC Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC), National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) and the National Power Corp. (NPC) were included in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) list of Energy Projects of National Significance (EPNS).

On May 27 the agency issued EPNS certificate to PNOC-EC’s petroleum service contract (SC) 59, which is currently in its predevelopment phase, located in the offshore West of Balabac Island, Palawan.

PNOC-EC is mandated to take the lead in the exploration, development, and production of the country’s oil, gas, and coal resources. Its SC 59 project shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges stipulated in Executive Order 30.

SN Aboitiz-Power Ifugao Inc.’s Alimit hydroelectric power plant, located in the municipalities of Lagawe, Aguinaldo and Mayoyao in Ifugao province, was also issued a certificate on May 27.

Meanwhile, NGCP’s 14 transmission reinforcement projects were also issued EPNS certificates on May 2.  These projects are now being carried out.

State-firm NPC’s island service delivery improvement projects and grid development projects in Palawan were also declared EPNS by the DOE on May 2.

On April 15, the DOE issued an EPNS certificate to the 15-MW Palawan coal-power plant project of DMCI Power Corp.

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

As of April 30, the DOE has received 352 EPNS applications. Of these, 281 were accepted while 71 did not comply with the necessary requirements.