NGCP mulls options on P36-billion interconnection project

MANILA, Philippines - The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said it will consult its stakeholders this week for options in the P36-billion Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) interconnection project.

The capital expenditures for the transmission lines will support more power generation capacity in the area, an official said.

“We need to meet with stakeholders including the Department of Energy,” said Giovanni Galang, deputy department manager of the NGCP’s Transmission Planning Department.

The first option for NGCP is the construction of the Cebu-Negros-Panay 230 kilovolts (kv) backbone, which will consist of 131 kilometers of overhead transmission lines and 50 km of submarine lines.

“This one, in our estimate, would cost P36 billion,” Galang said.

Galang added that this will address the 420-megawatt (MW) additional generation capacity in Panay Island in 2011 to 2016.

The NGCP said it “believes that it is more sustainable and efficient to locate power plants in load centers thus avoiding an expensive interconnection project.” The load center for Visayas is located in Cebu.

“Option two is 138 kv and just an additional (transmission line) to the Negros and Panay,” Galang said. This project will be worth P3 billion.

This will be composed of 30 km of overhead transmission lines and 18 km of submarine lines.

NGCP operates and maintains the National Transmission Corp.’s (TransCo) transmission business.