The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has sought Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) approval to develop the 500-kiloVolt Batangas-Mindoro interconnection and backbone project (BMIBP).
In an advisory posted at the commission’s website, the NGCP said the BMIBP caters to offshore wind (OSW) projects with a potential for generating 28,000 megawatts of clean energy.
NGCP plans pursuing the BMIBP in two phases at a cost of P90.7 billion.
It said the project will also encourage the development of renewable energy projects in Mindoro especially in the competitive renewable energy zones with aggregate capacity of 343 MW for solar and 710 MW for wind.
The company said the initial phase will cost P45.6 billion requiring the development of a combination overhead transmission and undersea or submarine cables from the Pinamucan substation in Batangas to the proposed Calapan substation in Oriental Mindoro.
The first phase also requires a 500-kiloVolt transmission line to be initially energized at 230 kV.
The second phase that will energize the 500-kV overhead transmission and submarine cables from Pinamucan to the Calapan substation, is estimated to cost P45.1 billion.
Under phase 2, the line will extend the southern part of Mindoro to serve the loads in Occidental Mindoro and accommodate the offshore wind (OSW) projects of the island.
The NGCP said the BMIBP as interconnection will also deliver power from the Luzon grid to quickly address present and forecast supply shortfalls in the island.
The company said that because of forecast increase in power demand, the BMIBP’s completion will make available enable power from the Luzon Grid through the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.
The NGCP also said it sought ERC authority in July 2021 to interconnect Batangas and Mindoro that at the time excluded the backbone component sought in its latest application.
