DOE names more power projects of national significance

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) has named more power projects as energy projects of national significance (EPNS).

The Energy Investment Coordinating Council (EICC), led by the DOE, issued a certificate of energy projects of national significance (CEPNS) for pre-development to the Alimit hydroelectric power plant of SN Aboitiz Group (SNAP).

The 120-megawatt (MW) Alimit hydropower plant is part of the 390-megawatt (MW) Alimit Hydropower Complex currently being developed in the Ifugao province.

The other components, namely the 20-MW Olilicon hydropower plant and 250-MW Alimit pumped storage, were issued CEPNS last month.

SNAP has been working for over four years already to complete all permits for its project which include free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), environment compliance certificate (ECC) and endorsement from local government units (LGUs).

AboitizPower chief operating officer Emmanuel Rubio earlier said they were working on securing consent from one remaining municipal government to approve the Alimit Hydropower Complex.

The EICC also issued a CEPNS for pre-development to Service Contract (SC) 59 of PNOC Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC).

Awarded to PNOC-EC in January 2006, SC 59 West Balabac is located offshore Southwest Palawan, north of the deep-water gas discoveries in offshore Malaysia.

The state-run firm holds 100 percent interest in SC 59. It is farming-out the block.

Meanwhile, the EICC issued CEPNS for commerciality to several projects of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) and National Power Corp. (Napocor).

A total of 14 transmission reinforcement projects of NGCP were included in the list and 35 off-grid development and service delivery improvement projects of Napocor in Palawan.

The EPNS is intended to establish a simplified approval process and harmonize the relevant rules and regulations of all government agencies involved in the permitting process.

Signed by President Duterte in June 2017, EO 30 provides that government agencies concerned with energy projects should presume other agencies were able to act upon and issue their respective permits within a 30-day period.