Mindoro grid upgrade ends curtailment for island's largest wind farm
The Department of Energy (DOE) successfully upgraded the Calangatan Switching Station in Oriental Mindoro, ending technical bottlenecks that had previously throttled output from the island’s largest renewable energy facility.
In a statement, the DOE said the installation of three new current transformers at the station’s Bay 1 allows for the full dispatch of power from the 16.53-megawatt wind farm operated by Philippine Hybrid Energy Systems Inc. (PHESI).
Prior to the upgrade, equipment limitations at the switching station forced the curtailment of electricity during periods of high wind, leaving a significant portion of available green energy stranded and unable to reach the local grid.
The grid constraint was identified during a series of site inspections and monitoring missions by energy officials, who noted that the facility could not maximize its output despite favorable weather conditions. With the new transformers now tested and commissioned, the system can accommodate the facility’s full 16-megawatt capacity.
The wind farm is supported by an integrated battery energy storage system, which helps stabilize the grid by managing the natural fluctuations of wind power.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said that resolving such grid bottlenecks is essential for the efficient operation of renewable projects and for the broader goal of diversifying the national energy mix.
The department expects the project to lower costs for consumers served by the Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative by reducing the province’s reliance on more expensive conventional thermal power sources.
The technical intervention was a coordinated effort between several state and private entities. The National Transmission Corp., led by President Fortunato Leynes, and the National Power Corp., headed by President Jericho Jonas Nograles, oversaw the installation alongside PHESI, Ormin Power Inc., and the local electric cooperative.
The move comes as the Philippines seeks to accelerate the integration of intermittent renewable energy into isolated island grids, which have historically struggled with reliability and high generation costs. By maximizing the dispatch of existing wind assets, the government aims to improve the "system readiness" of provincial infrastructure to handle an increasing share of sustainable power. (Gabriell Christel Galang)