The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ (NGCP) Pagbilao EHV substation project that will allow the connection of the incoming capacity of 2,720 megawatts (MW) from new power plants in the Quezon Province.
The approval of this project will address the overloading of the 500/230 kilovolt (kV) transformers and the fault level issue of the Tayabas 230-kV substation. The project is expected to cost P3.6 billion.
The Pagbilao EHV substation project will allow the connection of the 420-MW Pagbialo coal-fired power plant (CFPP) expansion; 500-MW San Buenaventura Power Ltd Co; 3×200-MW Energy World liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant; and the 1,200MW Antimonan coal-fired power plant.
“The approval of the NGCP’s Pagbilao EHV Substation will enable it to adequately serve the needs and demands of generation companies, distribution utilities and suppliers requiring transmission service and ancillary services through the transmission system,” ERC Chairman and CEO Jose Vicente B. Salazar said in a statement.
“NGCP proposes the implementation of the proposed Pagbilao EHV substation project to accommodate the entry of new power plants in the Luzon grid,” the NGCP said. They added that the project would address overloading in transmission lines due to the entry of power plants.
Quezon province is home to two major power plants in the Luzon Grid; the 735 MW and 460 MW Quezon coal-fired power plants.
The ERC approved the Pagbilao project on September 13, 2016.