ERC okays Aboitiz-NGCP linkup

MANILA, Philippines - The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved the application of Aboitiz-owned Therma Visayas Inc. (TVI) for a dedicated point-to-point limited transmission facilities to connect two 150- megawatt coal-fired power plant to the transmission system of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

The ERC approved the application on the condition that NGCP would operate the dedicated point-to-point transmission facilities subject to applicable charges and the subject facilities “shall be developed and constructed in accordance with the system impact study requirements.”

Furthermore, the ERC said the facilities shall be used solely by the generating facility.

In its application, TVI said the facilities are intended to cater to the direct delivery of the full 300 mw capacity of the TVI plant to the grid.

TVI is setting aside P2.6 billion for the project, which would require around 40 kilometres of transmission line from the Bato substation directly to the Cebu substation.

 “While greater in distance and would require a great length of time to complete, this scheme will not require other grid lines to be built or reinforced which will minimize the down time of the grid,” TVI said.

The point-to-point connection line project shall be funded internally by TVI through its mother company, Therma Power Inc., a wholly-owned holding company which owns all of Aboitiz Power Corp (APC) thermal power generation assets. TPI owns 100 percent equity interest in TVI.

Aboitiz Power, meanwhile, is the power generation company of the Aboitiz Group.