The National Grid Corporation (NGCP) of the Philippines led ceremonies simultaneously switching on last Friday in Manila, Cebu and Lanao del Norte the full commercial operations of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection project (MVIP).
“We are completing the mapping out of the critical transmission lines of NGCP and are coordinating with the local government units to avoid damage, accidental or otherwise, to the submarine cables in overland grid lines. The Cebu – Mindanao submarine cables make Cebu an even more critical hub for keeping the country’s power system interconnected. Cebu-Negros-Panay, Cebu-Bohol, Cebu-Leyte that eventually connects to Luzon via Samar,” said Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla during the event.
The MVIP has an approved project cost of P51.3 billion comprised of a 184 circuit kilometer (ckm) high-voltage direct current submarine transmission line connecting the power grids of Mindanao and the Visayas with a transfer capacity of 450 megawatts expandable to 900 MW.
The project includes converter stations in both regions and more than 500 ckm of overhead lines facilitating the flow of electricity.
“The MVIP, which unites the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao grids, is identified as integral to economic development through the delivery of stable power transmission services and enabling of energy resource sharing. Despite various challenges, NGCP remained committed to the completion of this project which is a testament to our dedication and commitment to fulfilling our mandate of improving, upgrading, expanding, and reinforcing the Philippine power grid,” said NGCP.
The Department Of Energy also declared the electricity reserve market under full commercial operations as of Friday, 26 January.
As a result, power generation companies with capacity or units capable of providing ancillary services (AS) may now offer and sell such services even without an ancillary service procurement agreement with the NGCP.
Ancillary services maintain balance in the power system to ensure normal frequency and voltage levels in response to demand changes, variability of renewable energy, and possible loss of large generating units.
“This (reserve market) will bring efficient dispatch of all available capacities by co-optimizing the capacity and price offers for energy and reserve to ensure that the required levels for both services are always met,” Lotilla said.
Prior to the commercial operation of the reserve market, reserve levels in grids across the country were below prescribed levels and insufficient to ensure the stability of the entire system.
