NGCP vows completion of 'large' transmission projects to prop up power supply

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 12) — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on Friday vowed to complete "large" transmission projects within the next few months to boost the country's power supply.

"We continue to advocate for a holistic approach to power planning. Development in all sectors involved in the power industry must be coordinated, with due attention given to each," the NGCP said in a statement.

These projects are the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project, Cebu-Negros-Panay Enhancement Project and Hermosa-San Jose Transmission Line.

"Gagawan namin ng paraan. Dapat kaya yan. Sisiguraduhin namin yan na matatapos yan (transmission projects) this year," NGCP Spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza told reporters Friday.

[Translation: We will find a way. We must make it possible. We will make sure that the transmission projects will be done this year.]

"Kailangan lang natin siguraduhin na kung magkakaroon ng tweaking o ng pagbabago dito sa mga systema, eh hindi ito makakadulot ng mas malaking aberya," she added.

[Translation: We just have to make sure that when there is tweaking or any changes in the system, it will not cause huge inconveniences.]

However, the NGCP also said building power plants and transmission lines "takes time."

"You have to have at least a 10-year planning horizon to ensure that the demand will not overtake the supply increases. So this has to be well planned, well coordinated," Alabanza told CNN Philippines' The Final Word.

Due to a power plant malfunction, Panay Island experienced outages and the Luzon grid was placed under red alert.

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