PBBM urges ‘smart,’ sustainable energy use

HERMOSA, Bataan — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the Filipinos on Friday to adopt responsible energy practices as the country aims to have a stable and reliable power supply.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Mariveles-Hermosa-San Jose (MHSJ) 500 KiloVolt (kV) Transmission Line in Hermosa, Bataan, Marcos emphasized the importance of environmental stewardship and smart energy consumption as cornerstones of the country’s development strategy.

“I encourage everyone to embrace our shared responsibility of guaranteeing a dependable and adequate energy supply for all,” Marcos said.

“Our journey towards a sustainable future begins with each one of us committing to conservation efforts and smart consumption practices,” Marcos added.

The President highlighted the crucial role of the public in advancing the country’s energy goals, which include achieving total electrification and fostering greener urban environments.

Marcos expressed optimism about the nation’s potential to build more sustainable cities through cooperative efforts.

“I trust that the public will strive to become stewards of our environment through conservation and smart consumption of energy,” Marcos said.

“With our synergized efforts pushing our national development forward, we can build greener and more sustainable cities and achieve total electrification for the entire country,” Marcos added.

Before this event, the Mariveles-Hermosa 500kV Transmission Line was energized in March 2022.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) activated the Hermosa-San Jose 500kV Backbone in May 2023, initially offering a 1,000MW transfer capacity.

The final segment was completed last month, enabling the facility to reach its full 8,000MW capacity.

This development is anticipated to greatly enhance power transmission services for 59 million households and other energy users in Luzon.

A major initiative of the NGCP, the P20.94-billion Energy Project of National Significance (EPNS), features 395 transmission towers, 275.6 circuit kilometers of overhead lines, two new substations, and an overall substation capacity of 2,000 megavolt-amperes (MVA).

The project is essential for establishing a new high-voltage connection that can transmit 8,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity from power plants in Bataan and Zambales.

About 59 million households in Luzon can expect better transmission services after the launch of the project.

NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza said households in Luzon connected to the national grid can expect more reliable transmission services with the new facility as long as the power supply remains adequate.

“All consumers or households getting their electricity services from distribution utilities connected to NGCP are automatic beneficiaries of this facility,” Alabanza said.

The P20.94 billion Mariveles-Hermosa-San Jose 500kV project is a major component in NGCP’s planned Western Luzon 500kV transmission backbone. 

The facility includes 395 transmission towers, 275.6 circuit kilometers of overhead lines, two new substations, and 2,000 MegaVolt Amperes (MVA) of substation capacity.

According to Redi Allan Remoroza, NGCP assistant vice president and head of transmission planning department, the entire Western Luzon transmission backbone will be finished by next year.

More projects in pipeline

NGCP also recently completed the Mindanao 230kV Transmission Backbone extensions, which provides an additional transfer capacity of 2,200MW in the north and 2,400MW in the south of the region.

Meanwhile, two private firms funded by foreign financial firms have expressed interest in putting up a combined 400 megawatts of electricity in Bataan.

Architect Every Guinto, president of ESG AREVA, had already informed Gov. Joet Garcia about his intent to put up solar farms while Grun Architekten construction Gruppe of Germany, headed by its chairman Gary Carl Froa, have already had a memorandum of understanding with Mayor Robin Tagle of Abucay town for his WTE-Biomass proposed project.