The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) energized the Hermosa-San Jose 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line at its full capacity of 8,000 megawatts (MW).
Part of the Mariveles-Hermosa-San Jose 500kV facility, this line will support an additional 2,200MW of power from new plants in Bataan and Zambales, enhancing the Luzon grid.
Line 1 was initially energized on 27 May 2023, supporting power generation in Bataan with a transfer capacity of 2,000MW, which was only a quarter of its full capacity due to an incomplete section of the line. The completion of this section on 19 May 2024 enabled a capacity of 4,000MW.
With the full completion of Line 2, the line now supports an 8,000MW generation capacity, sufficient for current and future power generation needs.
“NGCP completes this landmark energy project under the leadership and guidance of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. This marks the full completion and energization at full capacity of this critical facility, strengthening and expanding the grid under NGCP,” the company stated.
The Mariveles-Hermosa-San Jose 500kV line consists of 395 transmission towers, 275.6 circuit kilometers of transmission lines, two new substations, and 2,000 MVA in substation capacity.
Despite being certified as an Energy Project of National Significance (EPNS), the project faced various challenges, particularly concerning right-of-way issues due to opposition from landowners, lengthy judicial processes, and a protracted permitting process by local government units. In July 2023, a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court halted activities on a portion of the line owned by Phirst Park Homes, Inc., stalling progress from July 2023 to April 2024.
The Mariveles-Hermosa-San Jose transmission line project was filed with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) at a project cost of PhP 20.94 billion.
The full completion and energization at full capacity are crucial to accommodating additional power generation and preventing Luzon-wide power interruptions. Of the actual cost of the Hermosa-San Jose line component, the ERC has approved the recovery of only PhP 19 million, or 0.1% of the project cost. “With the completion of this critical project, NGCP is optimistic that the ERC will act on the overdue recoveries applied for by NGCP,” the company added.
NGCP assures the public and its stakeholders that it will continue to deliver on its commitment to improve, expand, strengthen, and reinforce the country’s power grid.
