NGCP energizes P52-b Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project, delivers 22.5 MW

NATIONAL Grid Corp. of the Philippines said Wednesday it energized the P52-billion Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project with an initial load of 22.5 megawatts that will improve power stability and reliability nationwide.

NGCP eyes full energization of the entire 450-MW transfer capacity by the third quarter.

“The completion of the MindanaoVisayas Interconnection Project is a significant achievement for us and for the Philippines as a whole. This will not only improve the reliability of our transmission services but will lead to efficient energy utilization as one Philippine grid,” said NGCP.

NGCP said an initial load of 22.5 MW was carried by the high voltage submarine and overhead lines from Mindanao to Visayas on April 30.

“We expect to gradually increase the MVIP’s transfer capacity to 50 MW by mid-May, and 112 MW by the end of the month, before energizing to its full transfer capacity of 450 MW by the third quarter of this year,” the company said.

Parts of the MVIP were completed in 2022, such as the Lala-Aurora 138kV Transmission Line, the 350kV Submarine Cable and Cable Terminal Stations in Santander, Cebu and Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte.

NGCP said it expects to complete the remaining components of the project and ramp up the transfer capacity of the facility in the coming months.

MVIP consists of a 184 circuit-kilometer high-voltage direct current submarine transmission line connecting the power grids of Mindanao and Visayas with a transfer capacity of 450 MW expandable to 900 MW.

The project also includes converter stations and more than 500 circuit kilometer of overhead lines to facilitate electricity flow.