For Bantayan Island power RDC endorses, submarine cable

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Development Council (RDC) 7 has endorsed to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) the proposed Bantayan Island submarine cable interconnection project.

The RDC 7 has approved the recommendation of the sub-committee on power for the NGCP to study the feasibility of the said project as proposed by Cebu fourth district Rep. Benhur Salimbangon.

Salimbangon had sought the help of the RDC to assist the small islands with high potential for eco-tourism development in his district grow economically.

Among the islands in the district in northern Cebu are Bantayan and Malapascua which are favorite destinations for local and international tourists.

Bantayan Island is also known as a commercial center for dried fish and the "egg basket" of the region.

Salimbangon reported that the high power rates has tempered the growth of the small islands as existing and potential investors have become cautious about putting additional investments.

In the case of Malapascua Island, an application for power subsidy from the Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification (UCME) has been lodged at the National Power Corporation (Napocor) to address such concern.

The sub-committee was tasked to make a follow-up on the status of the application with the Napocor.

Electricity rates in the island grids are reportedly high because of low demand and high cost of producing power.

Putting up small generators in the islands using conventional fuel or renewable energy would still be expensive.

This prompted Salimbangon to suggest to interconnect the island to the main grid through a submarine cable.

Salimbangon shared that a study was conducted when he was general manager of Cebu Electric Cooperative (Cebeco) II which found out that the cost of submarine cable was prohibitive.

He said that looking at the load of Bantayan Island now, the submarine cable is viable and it can even be cheaper.

Power in Bantayan Island is being supplied by Bantayan Island Power Corporation (Bipcor) with its five bunker/diesel-fired power plants with installed capacity of 8.34 megawatts and dependable capacity of 7.59 megawatts.

Salimbangon explained that the cost of putting a power plant is expensive, more so on solar power which costs $1.5 million dollars per one megawatt.

The sub-committee supported the proposal of Salimbangon citing the Electric Power Industry Reform Act which mandates NGCP to undertake transmission line projects.— (FREEMAN)