NGCP seeking ERC official nod on Camarines Sur-Catanduanes Interconnection Project

NGCP transmission line with sun 2

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is now seeking the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) approval on its planned Camarines Sur-Catanduanes Interconnection Project (CCIP). 

In a report by the Philippine Star, NGCP said that the project would connect Catanduanes to the country’s main grid in compliance with Republic Act (RA) 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001. 

The project is expected to cost around Php 9.5 billion and will be completed in 48 months upon approval. NGCP said that the interconnection project would support the growing power demand of Catanduanes, especially with the government’s plan to develop the province to attract investors. 

The Camarines Sur-Catanduanes Interconnection project includes a 23-kilometer, 69-kilovolt (kV) connection submarine cable with a cable terminal station (CTS) in Brgy. Bitaogan in Presentacion, Camarines Sur, and in Brgy. Asgard in San Andres, Catanduanes Island. 

The project also includes the following land facilities: the 70-kilometer 230 kV Naga-Presentacion transmission line, the 28-kilometer 69-kV Presentacion-Lagonoy transmission line, the 12-kilometer 69-kV Presentacion-Bitaogan CTS, and a one-kilometer Asgad CTS-San Andress transmission line. 

Data from NGCP said that Catanduanes has reached a peak demand of 15 megawatts (MW) in 2020, while its contracted supply was only at 10.18 MW. 

NGCP earlier sought provisional authority from the ERC to implement the CCIP. 

NGCP recently received ERC’s nod on its Cebu-Bohol 230 kilovolt (kV) interconnection project just a few weeks after it energized its 500 kV Mariveles-Hermosa transmission line in Bataan 

Meanwhile, the grid operator is looking to launch the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project by October this year.