Final component of NGCP’s P7-B Mindanao backbone now online

National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has switched on the 230-kilovolt Toril-Bunawan, transmission lines, the final component of its P7.09-billion Mindanao backbone project that is intended to ramp up the reliability of services in the entire island.

The Mindanao backbone connects large-volume power generation from the northern and southern parts of Mindanao and ensures stable and continuous supply from Lanao del Norte through Agusan del Sur to Davao del Sur.

The Toril-Bunawan line, which spans Agusan del Sur and Davao del Sur, will accommodate a total of 1,440 megawatts of supplies coming from the power plants of GNPower Kauswagan in Lanao del Norte, Therma South in Davao City, and San Miguel Consolidated Power in Davao del Sur. According to NGCP, Toril-Bunawan lines 1 and 2 were energized in November despite the difficulties posed by the varying lockdown protocols implemented across the country. “With this completion, the line will supplement the existing 138-kv Davao-Toril-Matanao transmission line in transmitting any and all available and incoming generation, ensuring transmission service reliability for the entire region,” the grid operator said in a statement.

Lines 1 and 2 of Matanao-Toril were brought online in December 2019 and January 2020, the same period when another component of the Mindanao backbone project—the 230-kv Matanao-Culaman lines—were energized.

Also in the package are the upgrade of the Balo-i-Villanueva-Maramag-Bunawan line from 138 kv to 230 kv as well as the upgrade of the substations in Malita, Matanao, Toril, Bunawan, Balo-i, Villanueva and Maramag.

The 230-kv Mindanao backbone project is an integral part of NGCP’s Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP), which will link the Visayas and Mindanao islands and realize an integrated nationwide power grid.

Before the pandemic broke out earlier this year, NGCP was aiming at completing by December 2020 the MVIP project, which links Cebu and Zamboanga del Norte by subsea cables. It is considered as the largest energy infrastructure in the history of the country.

“The Mindanao backbone is critical to the MVIP because through this project, the new transmission line will accommodate the capacities needed to fully support and use the capabilities of the interconnection,” stated the company.