NGCP pushes Bataan-Cavite-Mla transmission line project

MANILA, Philippines -The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the country’s transmission highway operator, is seeking the nod of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the power regulator, for the immediate implementation of a transmission line that would link Bataan to Cavite and Metro Manila.

In its application, NGCP said this is necessary to be able to transmit the additional power generation capacity that would be put up in Bataan by 2016 up to 2020.

“NGCP seeks authority for the immediate implementation of the Bataan-Cavite/Metro Manila transmission line phase 1 project aimed at establishing the most feasible submarine cable link between Bataan and Cavite/Metro Manila.  Based on the data from the Department of Energy, the province of Bataan is one of the areas with expected bulk generation capacity additions,” NGCP said.

At present, the province is host to the 600-megawatt Mariveles coal-fired power plant, the 620-MW Bataan combined cycle power plant and the 140-MW Petron plant.

“By 2016 to 2020, NGCP expects the following capacity additions: 1,200 MW of Mariveles Expansion Project of GNPower Mariveles Coal Plant, 900 MW of Limay power plant project of San Miguel Consolidated Power Corp. and 2,400 MW of combined cycle gas turbine power plant project of Atlantic Gulf and Pacific (AG&P) Company of Manila,” NGCP said.

The capacity expansion would increase the total installed capacity in the province to 5,860 MW from 1,370 MW.

“To transmit this bulk generation to Luzon load center in Metro Manila, implementation of new transmission line projects and submarine cable are necessary,” NGCP said.

It also said that while the company has already conducted a feasibility study on how best to link the province to Manila, there is a need to update the study.

“There is a need to update the study conducted in April 1996 by conducting another feasibility study in order to reflect the current generation developments in Bataan as well as the use of available submarine cable technologies. The feasibility study would establish the most feasible submarine cable link between Bataan and Cavite/Metro Manila as part of the long-term plan to form a backbone lop system,” it said.