The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved a PHP 78.9-million dedicated transmission facility to connect Power Beacon Renewable Solutions Inc.’s (PBRSI) 4.15-megawatt (MW) Dipalo Hydroelectric Power Project (HEPP) to the Luzon grid, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for what the regulator identified as the first Department of Energy renewable project in eastern Pangasinan. 

In a decision promulgated on January 20, 2026, the ERC authorized PBRSI to develop and own a point-to-point limited transmission facility linking the Dipalo HEPP to the 69-kilovolt Nagsaag–Umingan transmission line of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).  

The approved facilities include a take-off substation, a 5.5-kilometer 69-kV transmission line, and a switching station that will be used solely to connect the hydropower plant to the grid. The ERC classified these assets as dedicated point-to-point limited transmission facilities, meaning they are exclusive to the Dipalo HEPP and cannot be used to serve other grid users unless ownership is transferred to NGCP. 

The Dipalo HEPP is designed to support power supply in Pangasinan while contributing to the government’s push to expand renewable energy under the Renewable Energy Act. The 4.15-MW. The facility will tap the Dipalo River using a mountain-top diversion weir, balancing energy generation with ecological sustainability. It adds to Luzon’s renewable capacity and demonstrates practical small-scale hydro development.

The project is listed in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Transmission Development Plans for 2023–2040 and 2024–2050, which the ERC cited as a requirement for authorizing new grid connections. 

While allowing PBRSI to own the facilities, the Commission reiterated that grid operation must remain centralized. NGCP, as transmission concessionaire, is mandated to operate and maintain such facilities to preserve “the reliability, adequacy, security, stability, and integrity of the nationwide electrical grid,” consistent with the Electric Power Industry Reform Act and NGCP’s legislative franchise. 

The ERC placed the total estimated cost of the transmission facilities at PHP 78,933,341.42 and ordered PBRSI to pay a permit fee of PHP 592,000.06.  

PBRSI is a privately held Philippine renewable energy developer focused on hydro and solar projects in Luzon. Other initiatives include Likud 2 HPP and a 1.2 MW biogas plant, which have faced funding or grid delays. The company has committed around PHP 3.9 billion to expand its renewable energy portfolio and works closely with the DOE and ERC on project approvals.

How should regulators balance faster renewable grid access with centralized control of transmission assets? Join the discussion. 

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