NGCP to DOE: Transmission projects devt to be fast-tracked

BY LENIE LECTURA – MARCH 27, 2023
from Business Mirror

THE National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has accepted the challenge of the Department of Energy (DOE) to fast-track the development of transmission projects in the country.

In a recent meeting between the DOE and NGCP, Energy Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said the grid operator gave assurances of providing a list of transmission assets that are critical to the government’s goal of hitting the country’s renewable energy (RE) share—35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040— in the power generation mix.

“Last week, I met with Mr. Anthony Almeda and the NGCP team to discuss how transmission development can be accelerated to match the pace of generation development. NGCP welcomes the challenge of using new technologies for faster completion of transmission lines,” said Guevera.

The assurance came after the DOE official announced last week that the second round of the green energy auction program (GEAP) would result in more RE projects with 11,160 megawatts (MW) by 2024.

New transmission lines and expanding substation capacity are equally important as increasing power supply. Power plants generate electricity that is delivered to customers through transmission and distribution power lines.

“We will include in the terms of reference the list of areas and corresponding capacity of transmission that is already available. This will be provided by the NGCP. This way, we are guaranteed that the generated renewable energy can be transmitted at the projected timelines of 2024 to 2026,” added Guevara.

Guevara said that of the 11,610 MW, 3,590 MW is targeted for installation in 2024, 3,630MW by 2025, and 4,390MW by 2026.

DOE Undersecretary Sharon Garin, according to Guevera, has been assisting NGCP with right-of-way (ROW) issues, which are the major causes of delay for transmission projects across the country.

NGCP, for its part, said it has proactively sought the DOE’s assistance on issues on permitting and ROW concerns. It added that the grid is prepared whenever new plants come online and when the demand for power in a certain area increases, by anticipating these scenarios and constructing new facilities.

All of NGCP’s projects are well laid out in its 10-year Transmission Development Plan. In the next 13 years, the grid operator is committed to invest approximately P440 billion across 211 projects meant to support the growing electricity demand in the country and to make the country’s power backbone continuously reliable.

NGCP holds the sole and exclusive concession and franchise for operating the Philippines’ transmission network.