NGCP prepares grid for wind power surge

National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, operator of the country’s transmission network, is building a transmission loop in Northern Luzon to accommodate the growing number of wind power projects in the region.

Based on the draft Transmission Development Plan, the “Northern Luzon 230-kilovolt looping” is one of the new transmission projects of the NGCP for the third regulatory period covering 2011 to 2015.

“This project aims to loop the northwestern and northeastern 230 kV backbone in Luzon in order to provide adequate transmission facilities catering to the huge wind power generation potential in the region and at the same time improve the overall reliability of the transmission network,” the draft TDP stated.

According to NGCP, the San Esteban-Laoag 230 kV line and the Tuguegarao-Magapit 230 kV line are the projects directly associated with the Northern Luzon 230 kV looping.

The latter project, however, is still subject to the approval of the Energy Regulatory Commission.

“The identified locations of the substations to be developed along the 230 kV loop, which will serve as the connection point for the wind power plants, are the closest sites to the various wind power plants in the area,” the NGCP said.

Additional transmission lines may be needed given the number of proposed wind power projects in northern Luzon.

These include the projects of Lopez-led First Gen Renewables Inc. and Energy Development Corp., Energy Logics Philippines Inc. of the Delgado group, UPC Renewables, NorthWind Power Development Corp. and Alternergy Philippine Holdings Corp.

Local wind developers have been urging NGCP to put up the necessary transmission lines, not only in northern Luzon, but also within the so-called wind corridors in the country, to spur investments in the sector.

So far, the country only has the 33-megawatt Northwind project—the country’s first commercial wind power facility that was installed about eight years ago in Bangui, Ilocos Norte.

The Wind Energy Development Association of the Philippines (Wedap) earlier said it expects some $3 billion worth of wind power investments to materialize over the next few years.

The proposed projects can potentially add some 1,000 MW in new capacities and generate over 15,000 technical jobs.