^{Photo: Citicore Solar Pangasinan 2 project update as of January 1, 2026}

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved Citicore Solar Pangasinan 2, Inc. (CSP2I) to build dedicated transmission facilities connecting its 80.1MW Binalonan Solar Power Project to the national grid.

The 27-page decision issued on March 13 authorizes a 7.55-kilometer, 69kV double-circuit transmission line linking the plant in Binalonan, Pangasinan, to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ (NGCP) San Manuel Substation. 

In its decision, the ERC warned of Luzon grid constraints, saying that the project will face generation curtailment and dispatch prioritization until major reinforcements, including the Sampaloc 230kV Substation and the Cabanatuan-Sampaloc-Nagsaag 230kV Transmission Line, are completed–likely not before June 2034.

The ERC also adjusted connection costs to PHP 286.25 million to include two 50MVA transformers. NGCP will operate and maintain the facilities, with CSP2I covering costs, and ownership must transfer to NGCP if the assets are later needed for other users.

The 240 MW Binalonan Solar project, developed by Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation (CREC), is progressing as one of the Philippines’ significant utility-scale solar investments following its award under the Department of Energy’s Green Energy Auction Program – Round 2 (GEA-2).

Ground was broken in March 2024 for the plant in Barangay Santa Catalina, which is being constructed in phases, and is expected to generate roughly 326 GWh annually when fully operational–enough to power around 136,000 households and reduce carbon emissions by about 228,000 tonnes per year. 

Binalonan Solar sits alongside two other CREC-backed renewable projects in Pangasinan that also secured capacity under GEA-2: a 270 MW solar facility in Sta. Barbara, now under construction, and a 150 MW wind development in earlier stages of planning. All three projects hold long-term power supply contracts awarded through the competitive GEA-2 process, reinforcing the company’s targets to deliver 5 GW of clean energy in 5 years.

Could this long lead time for grid upgrades delay the full utilization of new renewable energy projects in Luzon?

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Could this long lead time for grid upgrades delay the full utilization of new renewable energy projects in Luzon?

Follow Power Philippines on Facebook and LinkedIn or join our Viber community for more updates.