Nearly 18 GW power projects cleared for grid impact study

MANILA, Philippines — Power projects totaling over 17.8 gigawatts were endorsed to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) for system impact studies (SIS) in the first half, according to the Department of Energy.

Latest DOE data showed that 137 projects secured SIS endorsements from January to June, more than half of which were battery energy storage systems at 85.

The list also included 18 wind, 16 solar with battery storage, eight hydropower, one waste-to-energy and three biomass projects.

Also seeking grid impact assessments were one natural gas-fired, two diesel-fired and three coal-fired power projects.

The SIS determines whether the national grid has sufficient capacity to accommodate a new connection and identifies any upgrades needed, including additional transmission lines, transformers or substations.

As the country’s sole transmission operator, the NGCP is responsible for the operation, maintenance and development of the state-owned power grid.

NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza said transmission and generation planning must go hand in hand, calling for a more holistic approach to developing the country’s energy infrastructure.

“The new generation must be located, connected and timed in coordination with transmission development. Building generation in an area where the network cannot evacuate the output creates stranded capacity,” Alabanza said.