Visayas-Mindanao power interconnection set by 2020

NGCP power lines.
INQUIRER FILE

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines is starting to implement the pre-construction stage of its P51.6-billion Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection project (MVIP) estimated to be completed by the year 2020.

Ma. Rosette B. Martinez, regional corporate communications and public affairs officer for Eastern Visayas, said the MVIP consists of a 92-kilometer submarine cable between Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte and Santander in Cebu, where the Cebu terminal station would be located.

From the Cebu terminal station, the NGCP will also put up overhead cables from Santander to Toledo City, covering 18 towns, Martinez said.

At present, NGCP has started pre-negotiations for right of way in the affected areas in Mindanao, Martinez said.

She added that they have started informing the chief executives of the local government units where the overhead cables will be installed.

NGCP will need the support of both the national government and the local governments especially in the right of way negotiations and the completion of permits, Martinez added.

She explained that they have to conduct environmental impact assessment in the affected areas so that they will be able to come up with mitigating measures.

Martinez then asked that the information about the project be widely disseminated so owners of the properties in Cebu that will be affected will appreciate the need for the project.

In an order dated July 11, 2017, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has granted provisional authority to the NGCP to implement the project, which is estimated to be completed in 46 months. The MVIP has an estimated project cost of P51.696 billion.

National grid

Upon the project completion, the major grids will be interconnected into a single national grid, said J. Rey Maleza of the Department of Energy Visayas Office.

According to Maleza, the Visays grid could tap the 600-megawatt power supply surplus from the Mindanao grid.

Maleza explained that the MVIP is a project of the Philippine government that aims to provide stable and secure power supply to the three major island grids.

This project will also help improve the overall power supply security in the country, since sharing of reserves will become possible.

In addition, the project will reinforce the operation of the wholesale electricity spot market by maximizing the use of available energy resources and additional generation capacities in the Visayas and Mindanao, including renewable energy resources.

The project will be using the high voltage direct current (HVDC) link, which was also used for the Luzon-Visayas interconnection. The HVDC system provides more efficient transfer of energy through long distances with minimal losses.

The completion of the project will enable Mindanao to have a more stable and continuous supply of power, which can be sourced from the Visayas grid or from the Luzon grid, if needed.

On the other hand, the Visayas will also benefit from the MVIP since both Luzon and Mindanao can feed their excess capacity to the Visayas.
According to the NGCP, the completion of the project will help boost investments by bridging power to the country’s progress.