ERC to expedite approval for 13 NGCP capital expenditure projects
Following the plans to expedite the transmission projects of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has identified 13 projects awaiting approval.
In a commission meeting held on Thursday, September 25, the ERC noted ₱93.6 billion worth of capital expenditure (CAPEX) projects that require approval.
ERC Acting Director Alvin Jones Ortega explained that out of the 31 projects filed by NGCP, some have already been decided upon under earlier rulings, while 13 projects are still pending the go-ahead from the regulators.
“Noting, of course, that the application or the due process under the 5th RP (regulatory period) application is still ongoing. So, we are still not able to finalize the fifth RP application, but because of NGCP's intent to already pursue and start the implementation of certain projects that are under this application, they have submitted this motion for issuance of intent relief,” he explained.
“Under these 31 projects, 18 have already been acted upon by the Commission. 17 of them were actually included in the decision of the Commission under the 4th RP application,” Ortega added.
The ERC has listed down the remaining projects, including the Tuguegarao-Enrile 69 kilovolt (kV) transmission line project, the Barotac Viejo-Unidos 230 kV transmission line project, and the Cebu-Leyte Interconnection lines 3 and 4 project.
Some substation projects are also awaiting the ERC’s nod, namely the Dasol 230 kV substation project, the Plaridel 230 kV substation project, the Luzon Voltage Improvement Project 5, the Pinamucan 500 kV substation project, the Magalang Substation project, and the Sta. Mario 500 kV substation project.
The Visayas Mobile Capacitor Bank project, the Bolo 5th Bank project, the Malaya 230 kV collector station project, and the Masiit 230 kV collector station project are also included in the list of NGCP’s proposed projects.