Full operation of 2 NGCP projects face roadblocks

MANILA, Philippines — The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is encountering roadblocks that are preventing the full operationalization of two of its major transmission projects.

These projects are the Hermosa-San Jose (HSJ) transmission line and the Cebu-Negros-Panay transmission line project stage 3 (CNP3), both of which were earlier eyed to be fully operational this month.

“HSJ was supposed to be able to bring all the power from the Bataan area to Metro Manila. As of May, all the capacities are able to pass through. So the purpose for that project has been fulfilled in May,” NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza said.

NGCP energized on May the Hermosa-San Jose 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, an energy project of national significance that strengthens transmission services and accommodates new bulk power generation from the Bataan area.

“So, why is it not yet 100 percent complete? That is because the redundancy portion, the N-1 part, that is the one which is not yet finished. We are finishing it, but unfortunately, we were the subject of a TRO (temporary restraining order) for two strings paths,” Alabanza said.

“We are doing our best to resolve that, but until the TRO is lifted we cannot finish it because all it takes is one span to not finish the line. So unless that is resolved, we won’t be able to string the remaining section,” she said.

The CNP3, meanwhile, was among the projects which the NGCP was planning to complete this year.

The company had so far energized the Cebu-Negros-Panay 230-kV backbone Stage 1, interconnecting Cebu, Negros, and Panay for faster and more efficient power sharing.

“The problem with transmission line is all it takes is one tower. You can finish 299 out of 300 towers, but if you can’t finish one tower, it’s not going to get energized and that’s the case with CNP3,” Alabanza said.

“In particular, there’s a land owner that has six towers in his area where we have filed an expropriation case and we’re also doing parallel negotiations. Neither has borne fruit. And that’s six towers. As with everything, we are doing our best, but that is beyond our control,” she said.

The Department of Energy earlier said the agency has been working with NGCP to fast-track the full operationalization of these two major transmission projects.

“CNP3 began in 2016 so that’s seven years this year. We partially energized in March 2023, well within the global average,” Alabanza said.

“HSJ is the same, started in 2016, 2017. Is it delayed by our committed deadline because we wanted to finish it earlier? But is it within reason? I think so because if you have larger countries with more resources doing it in seven to 10 years, that’s not so bad for us. Is it enough? Maybe not, maybe we can do better. Of course we always want to do better. But is it bad as it sounds because it is delayed? No, I don’t think so,” she said.

NGCP said that in other parts of the world, including developed nations such as the US, Australia and parts of Europe, transmission lines ordinarily require anywhere between seven and 10 years to build.

The company has cited right-of-way and permitting as among the biggest challenges in completing its projects.

NGCP holds a 25-year concession and a 50-year Congressional franchise to expand and operate the country’s power transmission grid.

As the Philippines’ sole power grid operator, it has significantly expanded the country’s transmission network since it took over transmission operations from the government in 2009.