MANILA – The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has committed to expedite the completion of critical transmission projects across the country after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has called out NGCP for its delayed projects in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA).
“The NGCP pledged its commitment to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s 2023 energy initiatives. NGCP vows to concentrate all available resources toward the completion of ongoing transmission projects while expediting others in the pipeline,” the NGCP said in a statement.
During his SONA Monday, Marcos cited an Energy Regulatory Commission’s report that the NGCP has 68 delayed projects, with special mention to deliver the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP) and the Stage 3 of the Cebu-Negros-Panay Interconnection Project (CNP3).
The NGCP said these two projects are also its top priorities.
“Both of these crucial projects have been partially energized, with the MVIP on track to be fully energized to 450 MW (megawatts) by the third quarter of this year,” it said.
The system operator also called on local government units (LGUs) for a timely granting of relevant permits for these projects and to provide necessary assistance in addressing right-of-way issues that have hindered the smooth implementation of the said projects.
“We reiterate our call for what the President termed as a ‘cohesive, centralized, and systematic approach’ to planning, including that for energy for stability, resiliency, and independence. We echo the President’s observation that while the national goals are all within reach, ‘this will require not just the work of a single person or a single branch of government nor even the whole government acting alone, but the collective efforts achieved only by all Filipinos working together’,” NGCP president and chief executive officer Anthony Almeda said.
The NGCP said that with the increasing sources from renewable energy (RE) in the country’s power mix, it “will draw on its strategic partnership with the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC).”
“Leveraging SGCC’s expertise in renewable energy integration, NGCP hopes to bolster its capabilities to hasten the transition to renewable and sustainable energy sources. The collaboration with SGCC allows NGCP to accommodate the increasing adoption of renewable energy technologies into the national grid,” the system operator added.
The NGCP said it also prioritizes improving the disaster-resilience of the grid infrastructure by upgrading its equipment and manpower.
“We agree with the President’s sentiments. Even before the SONA, NGCP has already been working towards the vision that he mentioned,” Almeda said. “After hearing it straight from him—his vision that is completely aligned with ours—we know we are on the right track and we’re more motivated to complete all our objectives in a prompt manner.” (PNA)
