The Department of Energy (DOE) is looking to integrate 94 gigawatts (GW) of additional power capacities into the grid for projects that are already undergoing their pre-development phases.
In a report by the Manila Bulletin, DOE said that these planned power technologies would include 108 solar projects, 176 wind farms, 162 hydropower projects, one ocean energy initiative, and 21 geothermal projects.
Energy Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said that many of the planned capacities are not yet part of the Transmission Development Plan (TDP). She added that under the current TDP and the submission of NGCP for the corporation’s fifth round of adjustment on their tariff, 50,000 MW of projects that are listed is not there.
Currently, the tariff adjustment of NGCP is awaiting approval from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC). One factor in deciding the rate is the timetable for capital expenditures (CAPEX), particularly the list of the corporation’s transmission projects.
To address this hurdle, Guevara suggested that the energy department should come up with a smart and green grid system (SGGS) that should cover all those things that are not on NGCP’s list.
However, it is not yet clear how the government will pursue the buildup and reinforcement of the transmission system that should be within the bounds of the industry’s current setup. Guevara shared that the department is planning to get the numbers each year, the scale of transmission lines required, and where they would be installed.
At the recent green energy auction (GEA), investors voiced worries about grid integration and requested guarantees of protection from revenue reductions for their facilities.