NGCP launches consultations on land-use permits

MANILA, Philippines - The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the country’s transmission grid operator, has launched a series of consultation workshops nationwide on the processing of land use permits for the construction of new transmission lines.

The workshops, are conducted as a joint project with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)’s Forest Management Bureau (FMB) on NGCP’s construction of new transmission lines.

The Department of Energy welcomed the initiative saying it will improve processes in the power sector.

“The DOE commends NGCP and DENR for this initiative, as the adequate supply and timely delivery of power is crucial to the energy industry. Through this consultation workshop, we see the start of the convergence between the private and public sector to address environmental issues and improve necessary processes to answer the many challenges in the power sector,” said Energy department director Irma Exconde.

NGCP, through its Environmental Management Division, conducted the workshop amid concerns that its transmission projects traverse public and forest lands.

“All of NGCP’s projects undergo in-depth review to determine the best direction with the least impact on the environment. However, it is inevitable that in the pursuit of reinforcing the power grid, we will have to traverse public and forest lands. In that event, NGCP complies with all environmental policies and with this series of workshops, we are able to address current and future challenges to NGCP’s timely environmental compliance,” said NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Perez-Alabanza.

The workshops have been conducted in Laoag and Cebu last month and another in Davao, on Nov. 5 and 6.

NGCP is a privately-owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining and developing the country’s power transmission network.

It is a joint venture between State Grid Corp. of China and Henry Sy, Jr., the eldest son of mall magnate Henry Sy, whose company operates the SM Mall chain.

The company won a 25-year concession to run the country’s transmission assets after it took over the management of the country’s national transmission network in 2008 from the state-owned National Transmission Co.