Power firm investing P174 M for transmission facility

MANILA, Philippines — Catuiran Hydropower Corp. (CHC) was cleared to invest P174 million in a transmission facility that will connect its eight-megawatt (MW) hydropower plant in Mindoro.

The construction of the connecting facility was approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) that will connect the 2x4-MW Catuiran Mini Hydro Plant in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro to the Mindoro grid of the National Power Corp.-Small Power Utilities Group (NPC-SPUG).

“The total estimated cost of the proposed project is P174.26 million covering all the facilities to be constructed by CHC including the cost of assets that are not dedicated point to point limited facilities,” the company said.

CHC will construct the dedicated point-to-point limited transmission facilities that will be connected to NPC-SPUG’s Calapan substation through the newly constructed Bay a4.

The transmission facility will have a length of about 22 kilometers from the plant, and made up of 336.4 MCM ACSR conductors with 263 structures.

CHC said the output of its hydropower facility is contracted to Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative Inc. (ORMECO).

Under the ERC approval, CHC will transfer the ownership of the facilities to NPC once the latter repays CHC the cost of putting up the facilities as determined, fixed, and approved by the commission.