PH inaugurates two new transmission projects in Luzon and Visayas

These have a total transfer capacity of 8,600 MW.

The Philippine government has inaugurated two new transmission projects, expanding its capacity and boosting supply reliability in the country. 

According to the Department of Energy (DOE), one of the facilities energised was the Dumanjug-Corella 230 kilovolt (kV) Line 1 and the Dumanjug 70 megavolt amperes reactive, which connects Cebu to Bohol. This has a transfer capacity of 600 megawatts (MW) and provides direct access to bulk generations from Cebu on top of the existing Leyte-Bohol submarine cable.

The department said this is a crucial project for Bohol amidst increasing demand driven by the influx of tourists.

The Cebu-Bohol project is expected to be fully completed by December 2024, helping decongest the Leyte-Bohol 138 kV interconnection. 

Another inaugurated facility was the Hermosa-San Jose 500 kV Transmission Project. This is expected to enhance power accessibility in the Luzon Grid with 5,080 MW coming from existing power plants and 2,554 MW that will come from committed power generation projects.

The project has a transfer capacity of 8,000 MW, which allows for the transmission of power generation from a total of about 7,634 MW existing and committed power plants in Bataan and Zambales to Metro Manila and other areas of Luzon. 

According to DOE, 2,554 MW are expected to be added soon which will come from 17 committed power generation projects that will be operational within the next three years. Some of the projects are the Mariveles Coal-Fired Power Plant Units 2 to 6, Masinloc Power Plant Units 4 and 5, Mariveles Hydroelectric Power Project, San Marcelino Solar Power Project, Subic New PV Solar Power Plant Project, PAVI Green Orion Solar Power Plant Project, and the Palauig Solar Power Project.

Energy authorities were also ordered to complete the almost transmission projects on time as indicated in the country’s Transmission Development Plan, particularly the Batangas Mindoro Interconnection Project and the Northern Luzon 230kV loop.