The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is advocating for increased power generation projects across the islands, while ensuring the stability of its transmission network, particularly with the recent upgrades to the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) backbone. At a recent Power 101 forum in Bacolod City, NGCP’s public relations head, Cynthia Perez-Alabanza, emphasized the importance of each island achieving power sufficiency, highlighting the limitations of relying on power imports from other islands.
The completion of the CNP 230-kiloVolt (kV) Backbone Project Stage 3 (CNP3) in March has significantly improved the transmission services and reliability across Cebu, Negros, and Panay. However, Perez-Alabanza pointed out that these improvements alone are not a complete solution to the challenges faced by island systems. She stressed the need for a balanced energy mix to mitigate risks associated with dependency on specific technologies and the importance of NGCP maintaining interconnections for emergency situations.
Neil Martin Modina, head of NGCP Visayas Systems Operations, noted that prior to the CNP3 project, Negros had only two transmission lines with limited capacity. The project has now increased this to four lines, enhancing the transmission capabilities in the region. The CNP3 also involved upgrading the Amlan-Samboan submarine cable between Cebu and Negros and adding a new 230-kV transmission line from Bacolod to E.B. Magalona, along with upgrading the Cebu Substation to 230kV.
Michael Baylosis, NGCP’s transmission planning manager, stated that the transmission situation in Negros has never been better due to the CNP3 project. NGCP has also emphasized the necessity of strategic developments in power generation to fully leverage the enhanced interconnection. The corporation believes that a combination of robust power generation and reliable transmission is essential for optimal energy development.