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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Consumer group seeks immediate approval of Batangas-Mindoro power interconnection

Consumer group seeks immediate approval of Batangas-Mindoro power interconnection

Published Aug 23, 2022 10:00 am

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – A consumer group here has urged the three lawmakers of Mindoro to pass a resolution for the immediate approval of an application connecting the island with the main Luzon grid.

Mindoro politicians have temporarily set aside their political differences as they look for an immediate and viable solution to end the power problem in the island. From left: Congressman Arnan Panaligan (First District, Oriental Mindoro), Gov. Humerlito Dolor, Congressman Alfonso Umali Jr. (Second District). At the far right is Pinamalayan Mayor Aris Baldos. (Photo courtesy of RM's Dokumentado/ Jerry Alcayde-Manila Bulletin)

Concerned Citizens for Power Consumers (CCPC) said the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has a pending application for more than a decade now for the Batangas-Mindoro Interconnection Program but is yet to be acted upon by the Energy Regulatory Commission.

In 2011, NGCP submitted an application for BMIP which was originally eyed for 48 months to complete but a subsequent application in 2021 has expanded to at least 110 months timetable.

Engr. Robert Davalos, one of the convenors of the Aug. 20 meeting in Calapan City, said the submarine power cable under the BMIP is the most practical and beneficial alternative solution to the power problem in the island which he claimed offers multifarious benefits such as open access to large markets in Luzon.

Davalos said NGCP has a mandate to construct a 230kv transmission line from Calapan City to San Jose under the BMIP.

At present, Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (ORMECO), the lone power distributor in the province, is using Napocor’s 69kv line which needs immediate uprating to accommodate the projected 110 megawatts load of Mindoro in five years’ time.

The three congressmen, Arnan Panaligan (First District, OrMin), Alfonso Umali Jr. (Second District, OrMin) and Leody Tariela (lone district of Occidental Mindoro) agreed to hold public hearings on the issue with representatives from the Department of Energy, ERC, NGCP and other stakeholders as resource persons to be invited.

Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor as well as Vice-Gov. Ejay Falcon, Mayor Malou Morillo (Calapan City), Mayor Joel Teves (Naujan) and Mayor Aris Baldos (Pinamalayan), who were also present during the meeting, have pledged to support any initiative that will solve the power problem.

On July 20, a memorandum of agreement was signed between the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) and Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative formulating a readiness program for the eventual interconnection to the main grid such as technical advisory and capacity building in improving protection system, communication, automation and adoption of new procedures that are compliant with the protocols and practices in the Luzon mainland.

Under the MOA, TransCo will assume the function of a Small Grid System Operator with an island control center which will establish a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and telecommunication system for ORMECO’s distribution operation.


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