THE Department of Energy (DoE) has endorsed to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines 128 projects with a combined capacity of more than 32,000 megawatts (MW).
Such studies are conducted to determine the adequacy and capability of the grid to accommodate the new connection.
The DoE reported that 120 of the 128 projects propose to generate renewable energy.
The biggest of the projects is Vind Energy Corp.’s 3,038-MW NOM FL1 offshore wind farm in the waters of Occidental Mindoro and Batangas.
In October, the DoE endorsed 32 applications with a combined capacity of over 6,000 MW.
Of the total, 31 were renewable energy projects, with the Copenhagen Infrastructure Market Funds, an affiliate of Danish fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, accounting for much of the capacity.
It plans to build a 1,000-MW offshore wind project in San Miguel Bay in Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte provinces.
Copenhagen Infra’s 650-MW offshore wind project in Samar and 350-MW project in Pangasinan have also entered the SIS process.
Northern Palawan Power Generation Corp.’s 28-MW Cawag battery energy storage system project has also been approved to enter the SIS process.
In the nine months to September, the DoE also endorsed 119 generating projects to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), with a combined capacity of more than 6,000 MW.
Some 72 generation facilities powered by conventional energy were issued certificates of endorsements (CoE), while 36 were RE projects.
Eleven projects are energy storage systems which were all endorsed in October.
The National Power Corp. has been granted CoEs for nine diesel power plants with a combined capacity of over 100 MW.
Certificates of compliance by the ERC serve as permits to operate. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
