Completed ‘backbone projects' to meet growing power demand —NGCP

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Transmission system operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on Thursday said the completion of its "backbone projects" boosted its capacity for power generation amid growing demand.

Among those is the newly activated Mariveles-Hermosa-San Jose 500-kilovolt (kV) Transmission Line which will accommodate an additional 2,200MW of supply from new power plants in Bataan and Zambales to the rest of the Luzon grid.

The grid operator said the facility has a total transmission capacity of 8,000 MW.

Meanwhile, NGCP said that the Cebu-Negros-Panay 230kV Transmission Backbone adds 800 MW of submarine cable capacity in the interconnections among the islands, and a total of 2,400 MW overhead transmission capacity in Cebu and Negros.

“Aside from strengthening our transmission network, the recently completed backbone projects allow NGCP to create room for additional generation capacity, whether from conventional or renewable power sources,” the grid operator said.

The Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection, it said, adds 2,400 MW overhead transmission capacity and allows power sharing between Mindanao and Visayas of up to 450MW of power, expandable to another 450 MW capacity, using the installed transmission lines and submarine cables.

NGCP added that it also completed the Mindanao 230kV Transmission Backbone extensions, which provides an additional transfer capacity of 2,200MW in the north and 2,400MW in the south of the region.

Other projects

The company said that ongoing projects such as the Tuy-Dasmarinas 500kV Transmission Line Project will provide a transmission capacity of 2,400 MW at its initial 230kV energization stage, while the Cebu-Bohol Interconnection Project in the Visayas will provide Bohol with 1,200 MW total interconnection capacity to Cebu island where MVIP is connected.

“Various new transmission backbone projects, such as the upgrade of the Luzon-Visayas High-Voltage Direct Current interconnection, will upgrade the facility’s transfer capacity from 440MW to 880MW,” NGCP said.

The grid operator said it also sought the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) approval for the 500kV backbone looping and extensions in Luzon and Leyte-Cebu Interconnection Lines 3 and 4.

To ensure an adequate supply of electricity, NGCP said the country must double its current power output through the installation of additional power plants to keep up with the economy-driven rise in demand, and the continuing capacity degradation of aging power plants.

“Objective and informed policy regulation and a fair, investor-friendly recovery process for implemented power transmission projects must also be given priority,” it said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News

This article Completed ‘backbone projects' to meet growing power demand —NGCP was originally published in GMA News Online.