Nueva Ecija wind power plants eyed

CABANATUAN CITY – Energy officials urged local business leaders here yesterday to participate in the proposed setting up of renewable energy plants in the province in line with the government’s power development program.

National Transmission Corp. (Transco) president Alan Ortiz, speaking on behalf of Energy Secretary Vincent Perez Jr. said the Arroyo government has already identified some 20 sites in the province for potential wind energy plants that could add an estimated 121 megawatt-capacity to the Luzon power grid.

The call was aired in a big meeting with Nueva Ecija business leaders where energy officials presented the 10-year power development plan and Transco’s P82-billion Luzon Island Transmission Augmentation Program.

Nueva Ecija Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry leaders said the proposed renewable energy projects will boost the potential investment areas in the province, particularly agro-processing, eco-tourism, information technology, light and heavy industries and the booming high-volume trading sector.

Ortiz said the government is eyeing the entry of an estimated P20.7 billion into the wind power sector, out of total prospective investments of over P24 billion in renewable energy projects, including biomass, solar and ocean-powered generating plants.

Transco also switched on the recently-completed P37-million Cabanatuan City substation expansion project which will augment the Luzon power grid by an additional 100 kilovolts.

The switch-on followed the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for Transco’s divestment of the management of this city’s 69 kilovolt transmission line in a P12-million agreement with the Cabanatuan Electric Corp. (Celcor).

This is Transco’s second MOA in its divestment program in accordance with the government’s privatization policy. The first was with the San Fernando Light and Power Co. in Pampanga.

Transco also announced plans for the P347.77-million New Munoz substation project, the P938.10-million San Jose 500 kilovolt substation reconfiguration and the P3.09-billion reinforcement of existing 230 kilovolt lines linking Pantabangan hydro to the Cabanatuan, San Manuel and Mexico substations.

The projects are expected to be completed in the medium term and to benefit the entire Luzon transmission backbone.