The island cannot afford another outage.
The outage that dimmed Boracay Island in mid-September this year could recur until the full completion of a critical transmission project in the area next year.
The whole of Boracay Island and the towns of Malay and Buruanga in Aklan province were cut off from the grid for two days in September after the Nabas–Unidos 69kV line tripped.
The incident isolated the Unidos–Caticlan–Malay and Unidos–Boracay lines and one can imagine the inconvenience of tourists staying on the famous tourism destination.
The power outage in Boracay highlighted the role of power infrastructure or distribution system in the energy sector. The transmission network is there to assure a reliable electricity supply for residents, businesses and the tourism industry.
The post-COVID economic recovery led to resurgent visitor arrivals in Boracay. The tourism boom and business expansions in Boracay have necessitated a grid expansion and power development projects to keep up with the increasing demand.
National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), operator of the country’s power grid system, thought of developing the 138kV Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay Transmission Project (NCBTP) line in response to rising electricity demand.
The project includes construction of the Caticlan cable terminal station (CTS)–Boracay line, an 8-km-long, 138 kV single-circuit underground cable and a 1-km-long, 69 kV single-circuit underground cable.
“The existing 69 kV submarine cable and overhead line serving the island is no longer adequate to support load growth in the coming years. Under the project, NGCP will reinforce the grid with an additional submarine cable and upgrading the existing 69kV facilities to 138kV,” said NGCP.
The project also includes construction of the 14-km-long, 138 kV Nabas–Caticlan overhead line, the 138/69 kV Boracay substation and expansion of the existing 138/69 kV Nabas substation.
The project seeks to reinforce electricity transmission services in Aklan province, which is currently being served through the 69 kV Nabas–Caticlan–Boracay overhead line and submarine cable system.
“The Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay transmission line project will support the increasing power requirements of the island and ensure stable and reliable transmission of power. NGCP will support the island’s growth and help ensure the development of Boracay as one of the world’s best travel destinations by providing the necessary energy infrastructure,” the company said.
But work on the project is not all smooth sailing. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) agreed to give more time to NGCP to complete the P4.23 billion NCBTP until August next year from its original May 2025 timetable.
The pre-construction activities, according to NGCP, began as early as January 2017 with the route selection process.
But NGCP said actual site conditions, right-of-way issues, procurement and other challenges require an adjustment of the project duration.
“For the Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay Transmission Project, the Commission finds that the adjustment of the timeline is justified, as its completion is necessarily subject to unforeseen factors such as site workability, right-of-way acquisition, procurement processes and other construction challenges,” the ERC said.
The regulatory body also gave NGCP additional powers to take control of the project. It directed NGCP to immediately assume full and exclusive responsibility for the operation, maintenance and management of the reclassified assets.
These include the Avon-Caticlan 69 kV Line, the Caticlan Cable Terminal Station (CTS) and the Caticlan-Boracay 69 kV Submarine Cable.
Boracay will need all the power infrastructure to keep its stature as a preferred tourist destination.
Boracay, Palawan and Siargao in the Philippines were recently named among the Top 10 Islands in Asia in the 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards by US-based luxury and lifestyle magazine Condé Nast Traveler (CNT).
Boracay ranked fourth in the latest results with 90.54 points, followed by Palawan in fifth place with 90.23 and Siargao in seventh with 85.49. The annual survey drew votes from over 700,000 travelers worldwide.
Boracay’s energy fate, meanwhile, now rests on the success of NGCP’s completion of a strategic transmission project. The island cannot afford another outage. It needs reliable electricity 24/7 to keep tourists coming back for more.
E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com
