Lihangin Wind Energy Corp. asked the Energy Regulatory Commission for provisional approval to connect its 206.25-megawatt San Isidro wind power project to the Visayas grid through a point-to-point limited transmission facility.
The DOE awarded LWEC (then 6 Barracuda Energy Corp.) a wind energy service contract on June 13, 2019 for the exclusive right to explore and develop wind energy resources in a 12,231-hectare parcel of land in San Isidro, Northern Samar.
LWEC said it filed the application to ask the ERC to grant it authority to develop and operate dedicated point-to-point transmission facility costing P2.178 billion to connect the wind power plant to the Visayas grid.
This will be done initially through an interim direct connection to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines’ existing 138-Kv Calbayog substation through a 53.2-km double circuit transmission line.
A direct final connection to NGCP’s proposed 138 KV San Isidro substation will be subsequently utilized through a 14-km double circuit transmission line.
“A provisional authority is needed to prevent a delay in the construction of the SIWPP. Republic Act No. 9513 otherwise known as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 aims to accelerate the development of the country’s renewable energy resources and increase the utilization of renewable energy, thus, it is in the interest of the government to help RE developers such as LWEC to achieve commerciality and commence operations at the soonest practicable time,” it said.
It said the commercial operation of the power plant is needed because of the increasing capacity requirement in the Visayas grid.
LWEC, a joint venture of Singapore-based Vena Energy and Aboitiz Renewables Inc., engaged PowerChina Philippines Corp. to be the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the wind project, substation and final connection projects.
LWEC said it would undertake the expansion of the NGCP Calbayog substation system to accommodate the connection of new lines, including the installation of high voltage equipment.
The San Isidro wind project expects to conduct testing and commissioning of the plant by August 2025 while the interim connection project is expected to be completed by September 2025.
The power plant is targeted to start commercial operations by February 2026.
