Court order stalls Central Luzon power line works

MANILA, Philippines — The completion of a critical power transmission line in Central Luzon has been stalled following a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court (SC).

The TRO filed by Phirst Park Homes Inc. (PPHI) was directed at the construction of a portion of the Hermosa-San Jose (HSJ) 500-kilovolt line that span the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan being undertaken by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the country’s sole power grid operator.

“Regrettably, it appears that the petition filed by PPHI is merely one of its tactics to obstruct NGCP from finalizing the project, despite numerous rounds of negotiations and proposed out-of-court settlements between the involved parties,” NGCP said in a statement.

It also claimed that PPHI “continually tried to block despite valid permits and writs of possession under NGCP’s favor.”

According to the power transmission grid operator, they reached out to PPHI “to settle the issue amicably,” and negotiations are ongoing.

PPHI has yet to comment on the energy firm’s statement.

The P10.2-billion project, energized on May 27, 2023, aims to strengthen transmission services and accommodate new bulk power generation from the Bataan area.

The project also involves the construction of a new 500-kV substation, allowing better voltage regulation and power transfer from existing 230-kV facilities within the area.

The transmission line currently has a transfer capacity of 2,000 megawatts, a quarter of the intended 8,000 MW that cannot be accomplished due to the TRO.

“NGCP made it clear to PPHI that the HSJ is an energy project of national significance, and its completion and energization are critical to prevent Luzon-wide power interruptions,” the power grid operator said.