NGCP, the operator of the power grid, said it continues to coordinate with the Department of Energy and various stakeholders to address issues raised during previous hearings with the Senate and House Committee on Energy.
The company, along with representatives from DOE, Energy Regulatory Commission, Transco and other agencies, met on Aug. 4 to discuss the energy industry’s most pressing matters. NGCP said it welcomed the meeting as an opportunity to clear matters concerning power.
Among the topics discussed are ancillary services which NGCP is addressing by reviewing contracts and capacities.
The company said in a statement it is awaiting clarification on some matters regarding DOE guidelines that were all expressed in the letter submitted to the Department on July 15. NGCP said it sees this as crucial to effectively and efficiently comply with the directive to convert from non-firm to firm contracts.
NGCP said that on the issue of delays in Grid Operations and Maintenance Program and Transmission Development Plan submission, the current delays experienced on the GOMP were borne out of clarifications sought from DOE regarding the company’s 2020 submission. However, the company exhibited compliance with its submission of the 2021-2023 GOMP to DOE for approval in June 2021, endorsing the same to IEMOP for concurrence.
NGCP assured that for future submissions, all maintenance plans which fall within the peak period would be rejected to prevent any issues on unscheduled power interruptions.
NGCP also acknowledged its responsibility of consistently updating the TDP. The company’s technical group continues to work on its annual submission to DOE, and actively conducts consultations with all relevant stakeholders since its inception in 2009, it said.
It said that on the issue of NGCP’s audit, the ERC’s compliance and performance review is ongoing. This involves the audit of the company’s operations, programs and processes. Preparations for the audit began in September 2020, with the requested compliance documents submitted to the ERC on March 8. “NGCP assures the public and its stakeholders that the company remains committed to cooperate with ERC and the auditors assigned to perform the review,” the company said.
NGCP also clarified the matter on delays in transmission line projects, which was raised during the Senate Committee on Energy hearings.
The company said it regularly submits monthly Transmission Project Status Report to the DOE and reports the status of permits/issuances and the status of expropriation cases filed by NGCP with concerned LGUs and agencies.
NGCP said it has also been proactive in seeking the department’s assistance to issues on permitting and right-of-way concerns, which are the major causes of delay for transmission projects across the country.
NGCP is calling on all energy players to work together and come up with a holistic approach to these problems.
“We have always complied and will continue to comply with our mandate and the directives of concerned stakeholders. NGCP is a private company, and while we appreciate the guidance and help of the power players, at the end of the day, the objective is not to focus on AS alone. Let us work together to find a holistic solution to the problems we face. In our view, this requires a deeper analysis of the problem, and a broader strategy than just firm contracting,” the company said.