Eleven power generation and energy storage system (ESS) projects have been cleared to undergo system impact studies (SIS), the Department of Energy (DOE) said yesterday.
The DOE gave the green light to these projects for January. These have a combined total capacity of 4,531.82 megawatts (MW). The only ESS project in the group has a capacity of 40 megawatt hours (MWh).
SIS is a series of tests to be conducted by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to determine the effects of a proposed power project on customer connections in a grid and find out if certain adjustments are needed such as additional transmission lines, transformers or substations.
Of all SIS-cleared applications last month, the biggest is Pan Pacific Renewable Power Philippines Corporation with a 2,000 MW pumped-storage hydro (PSH) project in Apayao.
The next biggest is San Roque Hydropower Inc.’s 800 MW San Roque Lower East PSH project and another 800 MW San Roque West PSH project, both located in Itogon, Benguet.
Other projects that applied for SIS last month included Gemini Wind Energy Corp.’s 304 MW wind project spread out in Samar; Airstream Renewable Corp.’s (ARC) 200 MW Real offshore wind farm in Quezon Province; and another 200 MW from Northmin Renewables Corp.’s Misor wind project in Misamis Oriental.
The remaining SIS applications are from ARC’s 100 MW Silang Maragondon wind farm in Quezon Province; Toledo Power Co.’s 82 MW circulating fluidized bed coal-fired power plant in Cebu; ARC’s 40 MW Pandan Labayat wind farm in Quezon Province; and Philnew Hydro Power Corp.’s 5.82 MW Mat-i 1 hydropower project in Misamis Oriental.
Only one SIS application was from an ESS project– Ecosolar Energy Corp.’s 40 MWh Panitan ESS project in Capiz.
Projects undergoing SIS do not automatically push through because they also have to factor in such things as funding, line availability and offtake agreements, among others.
