Nat’l grid to interconnect Cebu, Mactan

CEBU, Philippines - The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has an ongoing feasibility study on interconnecting Cebu and Mactan passing through Mandaue City via submarine cables.

NGCP’s spokesperson and adviser for external affairs, Atty. Cynthia Perez-Alabanza, said that it is part of its stability goal, which is to interconnect every island in the country.

Alabanza said that this has been long planned by the government. But because of the dire situation in Mindanao, they are now fast tracking the process of the said project.

“We are still in the first phase of our feasibility study regarding the project.  The cost estimation is still ongoing but this has already been included in the 55-billion budget for the third regulatory board for the five-year period,” Alabanza said during the press conference at the Santiago Room of the Radisson Blu Hotel.

Along with Alabanza were Abner Bardoquillo, head of network operations division of NGCP’s Visayas System Operations and Octavio Briones, head of operations and maintenance for Cebu and Bohol.

“If it needs to be done, it needs to be done,” said NGCP President Henry T. Sy, Jr. regarding the realization of the project.

Alabanza said this is a large investment and this is the reason they are making sure that the feasibility study will be completed before the implementation of the project so that what the consumers pay will be worth it.

On the other hand, Alabanza assured that this coming election, there will be no transmission related power interruption that will happen as they will not be doing maintenance activities during the period.

“We are very successful in the 2010 elections and we want to replicate the same achievement this year,” Alabanza said.

Meanwhile, to keep up with the rapidly growing power demand in the Visayas, NGCP has undertaken the Compostela Substation Expansion Project in Cebu.

This project involves the installation of a 150—megavolt ampere (MVA) transformer, power circuit breakers and accessories at the Compostela substation.

With an estimated project cost of P221.15 million, the project is set to be completed by the end of May this year.

This increase of substation capacity is expected to strengthen the Leyte-Cebu 230-kilo Volt (kV) Interconnection System linked to the Visayas transmission backbone.

The bulk of power coming from the Leyte Geothermal Plants passes through the Compostela Substation then delivered to Cebu, Negros and Panay sub-grids.

NGCP’s regular maintenance activities, expansion and upgrading projects aim to enhance the reliability and quality of electricity delivered to grid-connected customers like generators, distributors and large industries, said Elmer Cruz, NGCP’s regional corporate communications and public affairs officer.  (FREEMAN)