DoE forecast for peak power demand exceeded on May 17

PEAK power demand in Luzon has exceeded the Energy department’s forecast after hitting 10,688 megawatts (MW) on May 17, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said on Tuesday as the system operator moves to fasttrack a crucial transmission line project in Metro Manila.

NGCP said the Department of Energy (DoE) had earlier predicted power demand to hit a high of 10,561 MW this year, making the peak consumption so far this month the second straight year that the forecast has been exceeded. Power demand last year peaked at 10,054 MW, it added.

Officials of the company said the peak power demand comes as NGCP steps up the implementation of the San Jose-Quezon 230 kilovolt ( kV) transmission line upgrading project.

The project is moving forward after the Quezon City government cleared the right-of-way corridor of seven transmission tower sites in barangays Baesa and Sangandaan.

In a statement, NGCP said the San Jose- Quezon Line 3 project is critical in widening the power corridor into Metro Manila and allow supply from power plants to feed the Luzon load center.

The project will also relieve the existing transmission line, prevent overloading, and will ensure NGCP maintains the line’s N-1 contingency, or the ability of the transmission grid to withstand a major power disturbance through redundancies in the grid system.

NGCP said its good relations with the Quezon City government allowed it to “rehabilitate and upgrade our transmission lines in the city which were previously inaccessible by our transmission line team.”

“Our efforts are now focused on expediting the project’s completion, and seeing a more reliable transmission power in the country’s biggest load center,” it said.

The company said through an agreement signed by NGCP and the Quezon City government, the latter had implemented the relocation of informal settlers living underneath the San JoseQ-uezon transmission line in the two barangays and cleared the tower sites of dangerous improvements.

The move helped NGCP to secure the right-of-way clearances for its tower sites within the city.

It said respecting the right- of-way corridor of transmission lines and facilities will prevent unnecessary power interruptions, ensure swifter maintenance activities, and avert potential loss of life and property.

In the south, the grid operator has secured the Energy department’s support with the declaration of the Mindanao-Visayas interconnection project (MVIP) as one of national significance, allowing it to go through the permitting process faster.

It said: “We were able to rehabilitate and upgrade our transmission lines in the city which were previously inaccessible by our transmission line team. Our efforts are now focused on expediting the project’s completion, and seeing a more reliable transmission of power in the country’s biggest load center.”

On MVIP, it said: “We are thankful for this development. NGCP emphasizes the importance of this milestone project and we are determined to make our 2020 December commitment. This will certainly help us towards that goal.”

In April, the DoE issued the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Executive Order 30, which created in June last year the Energy Investment Coordinating Council (EICC) to streamline the regulatory procedures affecting energy projects of national importance.

Under the IRR, the processing of permits and licenses was given a maximum period of 30 days for projects declared as energy projects of national significance (EPNS).

The IRR outlines the scope of EPNS and the general framework for the processing of the EPNS applications.

The 30-day deadline starts from the submission of the complete documentary requirements to the relevant agencies involved in the permitting process.

It also highlights the application of the principle of presumption of prior approvals. This means that a holder of the “EPNS Certificate” is presumed to have complied with the requirements and permits from other government permitting agencies. —