DOE: NGCP project delays inevitable

MANILA, Philippines — Delays in several power infrastructure projects nationwide are not entirely the fault of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), an energy official said Wednesday.

Appearing before the House legislative franchises panel, Energy Undersecretary Sharon Garin told panel chair Rep. Gus Tambunting that project delays are inevitable.

“It’s a culmination of everything,” she said, citing cases with pending approvals from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and rights-of-way involving feuding landowners.

“In Panay, there’s an issue with the owner and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,” Garin noted.

Philreca party-list Rep. Presley de Jesus supported Garin, saying it is “unfair” to blame the privately owned power grid operator for project delays.

The NGCP has committed to submit its explanation regarding the delayed transmission projects.

Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez sees no need to conduct a public hearing into the NGCP.

Rodriguez recalled that the Bureau of Internal Revenue had confirmed the NGCP has been “paying all the tax liabilities of the company.”

ERC chairperson Mona Dimalanta, he said, also confirmed the NGCP is compliant with its tax responsibilities.

The NGCP should not be blamed for the five-year delay of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP), which had encountered right-of-way issues with a golf course property, Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez expressed his gratitude to the NGCP for eventually completing the MVIP, saying more companies are putting up power generation plants in Mindanao as they can now sell to Luzon and the Visayas if they have excess capacity.–  Miriam Desacada