Cebu-Bohol power interconnection to be fast-tracked

TAGBILARAN CITY – The provincial government plans to form a multi-agency team that will coordinate with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to hasten the proposed Cebu-Bohol interconnection project.

In a statement from the Effective Development Communications Unit (Edcom), it is said the project will provide an additional 400 megawatts of electricity supply for Bohol. A meeting was held on Tuesday at the People’s Mansion which was presided by Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto. The project is being eyed to be completed by 2021.

Chatto said that there was a need to fast-track the project and aim for a 2020 deadline. Bohol is also eying for the construction of an inland non-coal power plant projected to be finished by 2023.

Based on Chatto’s executive order, the multi-agency team will ensure the compliance for all requirements needed to complete the project. The team will ensure to secure right-of-way and all the necessary environmental clearances for the project.

The interconnection will start in

Dumanjug in Cebu to Argao, which is 29 kilometers. The line will then placed underwater to reach Loon in Bohol, which is about 30 kilometers in distance, and the line will end in Corella town in Bohol.

The local business sector here has expressed support for the fast-tracking of the interconnection of Cebu and Bohol, Argeo Melisimo, the executive vice president of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Currently, Bohol sources most of its power from Leyte via a connection from Maasin to Ubay in Bohol.

But last July 2017, an earthquake hit Leyte, causing massive damage to power plants based there. With the power sources down, NGCP had to get power from Cebu through a bypass line in order to energize Bohol.

Bohol had to ration power since the local diesel power plant and a few small hydroelectric power plants were not sufficient enough to provide 24/7 power to Bohol electricity consumers.