Grid operator vows to speed up evaluation of system impact studies for power plant connections

By Alena Mae S. Flores – July 28, 2023, 10:10 pm
from manilastandard.net

National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said Friday it is carrying out comprehensive actions to tackle the challenges posed by the lengthy queue of system impact studies for power plant connections.

SIS is a critical assessment that determines the capacity of the power grid to accommodate a new generator and identifies necessary improvements such as additional transmission lines, transformers or substations.

NGCP said in a statement that due to the increasing demand for power generation, the number of applications for SIS surged.

It said that historically, majority of the applicants did not push through with their initial plans, with only around 28 percent of completed SIS resulting in the establishment of actual power plants.

“Although seven out of 10 SIS applicants will not actually pursue their power investments, we are obliged to fully evaluate each application when they are passed on to us by the Department of Energy,” said NGCP president and chief executive Anthony Almeda.

“Accordingly, we have taken the necessary steps to expedite the process and improve its efficiency,” he said.

The DOE asked NGCP and SIS providers to complete the study within a 60-day period.

NGCP said one of the key initiatives is the expansion of the SIS team by hiring additional manpower. It expects to boost the capacity of the organization and conduct more SIS studies simultaneously.

The company said it is also adopting a clustering approach for SIS, grouping together power plants with a common connection point or study area.

“This clustering strategy aims to streamline the process and accelerate the evaluation of multiple projects, enhancing the overall efficiency and reducing the waiting time for potential power plant developers,” NGCP said.

NGCP said it is also in the process of outsourcing some aspects of the SIS process, pending the issuance of the accreditation process by the Energy Regulatory Commission.

The outsourcing initiative is anticipated to further augment the organization’s capabilities and expedite the completion of SIS for various power plant proposals.

Almeda said that in more developed nations like the United States and the United Kingdom, the completion of grid impact studies typically takes more than three years.

“Other countries usually operate on a ‘first-ready-first-served’ basis. This strategy has been discussed with the DOE. It may be worth considering to depart from the first-come-first-served basis currently in place through EVOSS, in order to be faster and more efficient. Generation project proponents who are first in line for SIS are not necessarily first to be ready with complete requirements. In fact, many request for time extensions, which also contributes to the prolonged SIS processing time,” he said.

NGCP said measures to address the SIS backlog forms part of the company’s extensive plan to meet the country’s increasing energy requirements.

“Our company is a vital part of a much bigger energy landscape, with numerous roles and stakeholders. We take our functions and responsibilities very seriously, and continuously work towards a cohesive, centralized, and systematic approach to energy planning for our country,” Almeda said.