Meralco allots P1.16B for gaming complex substation

Manila Electric Co., the country’s biggest power distributor, plans to invest P1.16 billion put up a new substation that will ensure adequate and reliable supply of power for the 120-hectare Entertainment City.

In a filing with the Energy Regulatory Commission, Meralco explained that once completed, the hotel and casino complex initiated by the state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) would require large volumes of electricity. This means that Meralco needs to put up new distribution facilities that will accommodate the expected surge in power demand.

The distribution firm noted that an adequate supply of electricity was critical to the full development of the Entertainment City, which is crucial in boosting the economy. President Aquino himself led the inauguration of the Solaire Resort and Casino in Parañaque City, which is part of the complex.

According to Meralco, the construction of the Pagcor-1 substation remained consistent with its mandate under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira), which stated that a “a distribution utility shall have the obligation to provide distribution services and connections to its system for any end-user within its franchise area consistent with the distribution code.”

Based on its filing, the Pagcor-1 Substation would involve the construction of a 2.4-kilometer underground 115-kilovolt lines, the installation of one assembly of an indoor 115kV Switchgear and two 83 megavolt ampere three-phase power transformers, among other components.

Meralco said it would need at least 18 months to commission the project, which it hoped to operate by September 2014. It added that this would assure locators and consumers in the area that the distribution utility would have enough capacity to meet their requirements within their schedule.

Meralco is seeking the grant of a provisional authority from the ERC to be able to “immediately proceed with the project that will serve as a catalyst in the development of the area and a signal for the investors that there will be an adequate infrastructure to meet their power demands.

“This will enable the developers to proceed with their own undertakings, all in support of the nation’s continued economic growth,” Meralco added.