Boracay transmission facilities upgrade targeted for completion by 2024

THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said it hopes to complete the P5.48-billion Nabas-Caticlan-Boracay 138-kiloVolt (kV) transmission line by 2024.

The line will reinforce the grid with an additional submarine cable and serve as an upgrade to the current 69-kV facility serving the resort island.

The project consists of the submarine cable connecting Boracay to Panay, as well as underground and overhead transmission lines and cable stations elsewhere along the line.

Henry C. Labrada, NGCP division head for interconnection projects, told reporters on Tuesday that the project will support the increasing power requirements of the island and ensure stable and reliable power.

The current submarine cable and overhead lines serving the island are no longer adequate for Boracay’s needs in the coming years, according to the NGCP.

The power requirements of Caticlan and Boracay Island are currently filled by the Nabas substation via a single-circuit 69-kV overhead transmission line and submarine cable.

Mr. Labrada, citing a forecast provided by Aklan Electric Cooperative, Inc., said projected demand for Boracay and Caticlan is 102 megawatts (MW) by 2030 and 175 MW by 2040.

The NGCP said the ERC-approved project was certified as an Energy Project of National Significance (EPNS) by the Department of Energy in 2019.

EPNS works are eligible under Executive Order 30 to expedited permits and reviews by local and National Government agencies. — Ashley Erika O. Jose