Transco starts South Luzon transmission project

The controversial line constraints that have hindered the transmission of the power produced from the Lopez-owned power plants are expected to be finally resolved, National Transmission Corp. (Transco) president Alan T. Ortiz said over the weekend.

Ortiz said work has started on the Batangas Transmission Reinforcement project (BTRP) which is aimed at improving the firm’s power transmission capability in Southern Luzon.

According to Ortiz, the first concrete-pouring was held last Feb. 11 at Brgy. Sta. Elena in Sto. Tomas, Batangas for the 16.8-km New Mak-Ban A switchyard-Calamba Tower 50 transmission line project. "This is one of the four transmission line components of the BTRP that would further improve the capacity of transmission lines in the south Luzon region to ensure steady supply of electricity to end-users especially in the areas of Batangas, Laguna, Cavite and Quezon," Ortiz said.

The Transco official said the New Makban A-Calamba transmission line project entails the upgrading or conversion of the existing double-circuit single conductor lines to double-circuit four-bundled conductor lines.

Winifredo SM. Pangilinan, Transco vice president for engineering design and construction, said the upgrading of this major transmission facility is proceeding as scheduled and will be fully operational by the first quarter of 2005.

The BTRP will provide additional transmission outlets for the Pagbilao coal-fired thermal power plant, Ilijan natural gas power plant, San Lorenzo combined-cycle power plant, Sta. Rita natural gas power plant and other independent power producer (IPP) plants in South Luzon. Specifically, the project will allow the transmission of an additional 1, 650 MW from the power plants in the region.

It will be recalled that First Gas, owner of Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo, has been complaining about the lack of transmission line that could transmit the power coming from the gas-fired power plants.