MORE Power emphasized the relief brought by the energization of the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) 230-kilovolt (kV) backbone project to Iloilo City and the entire Panay Island.
"This will be a significant relief for us at MORE Power and the entire Panay Island. Although the capacity is very good, there is a substantial relief for us. However, it is essential to consider whether ancillary services are necessary on the Island of Panay," said Castro after attending the simultaneous ceremonial energization at the NGCP Barotac Viejo Substation, alongside Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas.
When asked about the possibility of another round of a 4-day blackout scenario, similar to what occurred in January, Mr. Castro stated that while there is a probability, it is now significantly reduced due to the CNP project.
"For consumers, if before the energization of the CNP project there was a 50% probability of experiencing again a 4-day blackout, now the probability is only 10-20%. However, this probability, as it's called, can still occur. I would attribute it to the configuration or the identification of whether ancillary services are needed on the Island. Here in Panay, we have four major coal plants, but in our view, the smaller plants are still lacking in case one of the four plants experiences an outage."
With the energization of the CNP 230KV backbone project, Castro emphasized that the capacity of the submarine cable is now significantly expanded.
Castro explained ancillary services using an analogy of a spare tire: in the event of a flat tire, there's a readily available spare that can be immediately replaced. Similarly, in the power industry, when one major power plant is offline, there's another ready to replace it, preventing scenarios like those in April 2023 and January 2024.
CEREMONIAL ENERGIZATION OF CNP
President Ferdinand Marcos also acknowledged NGCP's efforts in finally completing this critical project to enhance the resilience and reliability of power in Cebu, Negros, and Panay Islands.
"We must recognize NGCP for the successful completion of CNP. The completion of this project marks a milestone in our pursuit to enhance the resilience and reliability of our power infrastructure, especially in this area. We have to align the different power systems available in Panay and Negros," said President Marcos in his speech.
The CNP 230kV backbone, composed of CNP1, CNP2, CNP3, and Negros-Panay Interconnection Project Line 2 (NPIP L2), is intended to strengthen the grid and improve the reliability of power transmission among the islands of Cebu, Negros, and Panay, with the construction of new 230 kV transmission backbone to support the existing 138kV facilities.
The CNP presence is the link among three major islands in the Visayas and will provide a more reliable transfer of power to support the fast-moving economy of the provinces in the islands of Cebu, Negros, and Panay. This development will not only foster the efficiency of our electricity system but also contribute to the overall economic growth and well-being of our nation," said Anthony Almeda, NGCP’s CEO, in his message during the ceremonial energization of the CNP project.
The CNP backbone project stands out as one of the most significant transmission infrastructure initiatives undertaken by NGCP, the country’s sole power grid operator.