National Grid Corp. of the Philippines asked stakeholders and Negros Oriental government officials for assistance as it expedites the completion of the Amlan-Dumaguete 138-kiloVolt (kV) transmission line to mitigate potential power interruptions due to the overloading of the Amlan-Siaton 69kV line.
NGCP said Wednesday the existing Amlan-Siaton 69kV line serving Negros Oriental, including Dumaguete City, was already overloaded at 69 megawatts as of April 25, 2024, beyond the normal limits of 58 MW.
It said localized manual load dropping or rotating power interruptions might occur at any time if the project would not be finished soon.
NGCP’s project application to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) initially targets completion by September 2024.
The transmission operator said local resistance to the project compelled the grid operator to file a motion to extend the completion date to January 2026.
“NGCP is working with the provincial government of Negros Oriental, local distribution utilities, and local stakeholders to complete and energize this line as soon as possible,” NGCP said.
NGCP also lauded Governor Manuel Sagarbarria for supporting the company “and we are eagerly awaiting the issuance of the needed permits.”
NGCP said the Amlan-Dumaguete line, an energy project of national significance, would address the limitations of the existing Amlan-Siaton 69kV line, the low voltage incidents, and mitigate potential recurring and prolonged power interruptions in the area.
It will also accommodate the growing power demand in Dumaguete City and the province of Negros Oriental.
Transmission projects of NGCP, which operates the country’s transmission highway, are beset by problems such as permitting and right-of-way issues which delay the much-needed connections to the power grid.