A total of 88 power generation and energy storage system (ESS) projects were cleared to undergo system impact studies (SIS) with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) as of end-June, data from the Department of Energy (DOE) showed.
SIS is needed to determine the effects of a proposed power project to customer connections in a grid and discover if certain adjustments in the system are needed such as additional transmission lines, transformers or substations.
Based on DOE data, 85 out of the 88 applications were from renewable energy projects particularly solar, wind and hydro resources while the remaining three are from ESS projects.
Of all the RE project and ESS applicants for SIS, the biggest capacity is from the 3,500 megawatts (MW) of solar energy and 4,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery ESS being developed by Terra Solar Philippines Inc.
Factors to be considered for projects undergoing SIS are funding, line availability and power offtakers, among others.
Earlier, NGCP said it adopted a clustering approach for SIS, grouping together power plants with a common connection point or study area to streamline the process and accelerate the evaluation of multiple projects, enhancing the overall efficiency and reducing the waiting time for potential power plant developers.
Due to the increasing demand for power generation in the country, applications for SIS surged significantly but emphasized that historically, majority of applicants do not push through with their initial plans with only around 28 percent of completed SIS resulting in the establishment of actual power plants.
