“The major islands intended for interconnection are Visayas and Mindanao, and Luzon and Mindoro. NGCP already filed for provisional authority with the Energy Regulatory Commission to conduct a feasibility study for the interconnection project,” the NGCP said.
The NGCP initially bared this plan during the recent Philippine Electricity Summit wherein Bambang Hermawanto, chair of the ASEAN Power Grid Consultative Committee (APGCC), also presented plans for power transmission interconnection of ASEAN member countries, with the Philippines as part of the power route through Sabah, Malaysia.
NGCP is a privately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid. It transmits high-voltage electricity through “power superhighways” that include the interconnected system of transmission lines, towers, substations, and related assets.
In a statement, NGCP said “the ASEAN Power Grid is a long-term project of the member countries, and it may take several more years to be fully realized. NGCP and the Philippines is aligning with the ASEAN vision by developing first our very own transmission grid. We need to have a strong and reliable power transmission network within our country before we can interconnect with other nations.”
“It is high time that industry players start the conversations going and work towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, and towards a successful and competitive energy industry that is at par with, if not better than ASEAN counterparts,” NGCP noted.
The NGCP holds a 25-year concession contract to operate the country’s power transmission network, is comprised of Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp. led by Henry Sy, Jr., Calaca High Power Corp. led by Robert Coyiuto, Jr., and the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) as technical partner.
