The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has updated Cong. Edgar
Chatto on the latest in the implementation of the Cebu-Bohol Interconnection Project
(CBIP).
The project puts the province in the country’s map for energy development as well as
sufficient and reliable power, boosts investment and growth.
Chatto, together with NGCP Interconnection Projects Division Head Henry Labrada
and Visayas Projects Division head Generoso Oledan qs well as Maribojoc Mayor
Romy Manuta and Vice Mayor Boyet Castilla inspected the Maribojoc Cable
Terminal Station in Punta Cruz, Maribojoc on Thursday morning.
The Cebu-Bohol interconnection project was planned and endorsed during Chatto’s
stint as governor and chair of the Regional Development Council (RDC 7).
The ambitious project was originally targeted for completion in December when
contracts of Distribution Utilities are set to expire.
NGCP reported it has extended the completion date to June 2024 to resolve several
issues including right of way and clearances from barangays and LGUs of Dumanjug
and Argao in Cebu.
Chatto then immediately called district representatives Cong. Edcel Galeos and
Cong. Peter Calderon who committed to facilitate the fast tracking of road right of
way and clearances.
COMPLETED SUBMARINE CABLE
NGCP also bared 99.97% completion of the double-circuit submarine cable linking
Argao and Maribojoc. It has a capacity of 230 kilovolts and can transport 1,200
megawatts of power.
The double-circuit Cebu-Bohol interconnection submarine cable allows back up
cable for emergencies or when needed.
The completed Cable Terminal Station in Punta Cruz, Maribojoc can withstand
calamities such as super typhoons, NGCP said.
From there, overhead transmission towers that will link cables to the NGCP
Substation in Corella are being built.
28 out of 74 transmission towers have been constructed to traverse the 18 kilometer
shortcut transmission route to Corella.
ONE BOHOL POWER
Bohol Distribution Utilities (DUs) BOHECO I and II, Bohol Light Company, Inc.
(BLCI), as well as power developers/suppliers Energy Development Corporation
(EDC) and Alsons Power Group were also represented in the important discussions
on the interconnection project.
Dino Roxas of BOHECO I, Eugene Tan of BOHECO II and Paul Almedilla of BLCI,
Edson Emoricha of EDC, and Anton Alcantara, Chito Angco and Noel Galinato of
Alsons were in attendance.
The DUs comprise One Bohol Power (1BP) who are in a contract with EDC for
power supply next year.
1BP is a landmark project born out of intensive research and process by the Bohol
Energy Development Advisory Group (BEDAG) initiated by Chatto after the 2013
earthquake and Typhoon Yolanda that rendered the province without electricity.
EDC meanwhile has Alsons as a sub contractor for the construction of a 95
megawatt baseload back-up power plant in Imelda, Ubay, near the NGCP Ubay Sub-
station.
Alsons said the power plant will be able to generate 50MW in April and will complete
95MW in 2026.
According to EDC, in the meantime, they are bringing in 42 mobile modular
generator sets, 24 on November 16 and another 18 sets on November 25 while the
power plant is under construction.
LOW POWER RATES EXPECTED
Power players look forward to lower power rates once the project is completed.
At present, power distributors pay a P2 line rental for every kilowatt-hour transmitted
through the Leyte-Bohol NGCP line due to limited transmission.
With new contract, EDC can only impose a P.33 centavos line rental to DUs based
on Terms of Reference set by 1BP.
“Magaling po kayo, Cong,” EDC representatives commented during the discussions.
“Visionary gyod,” BLCI General Manager Almedilla said of Chatto during the
updating conference.
PART OF THE LOOP;
AN END TO AN END
Through the Bohol-Cebu interconnection, the province will no longer be the end of
the loop.
Through the Cebu transmission that is connected to Mindanao, power redundancy
will be achieved.
To complete the loop, NGCP announced plans to upgrade the present Leyte-Bohol
Interconnection from 138 kilovolts that can transmit 100 megawatts to 230 kilovolts,
like the Cebu-Bohol link.
POWER INVESTMENT BOOST
With abundant power supply assured through the completion of the power link,
excess power can be sold to the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).
The CBIP that Chatto pushed is now encouraging developers and suppliers to invest
in Bohol.
The province will become a power provider instead of being a mere end user.
Huge economic investments have also come in with power requirements to be met
by the CBIP.
Resilient, environment friendly, sustainable and cost efficient power is crucial to the
province’s growth and development, Chatto said, of one of major priorities under the
long term plans for the province.