The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is preparing to resolve the long-pending capital expenditure (capex) applications of the National Grid Corporaton of the Philippines (NGCP) within the month to prioritize critical transmission projects flagged by the Department of Energy (DoE).

In a recent interview with reporters, ERC chairperson Francis Saturnino C. Juan said that the commission is targeting to issue decisions soon to allow NGCP to proceed with necessary investments in the country’s power grid.

“Most likely within a month, we’ll already discuss and approve the remaining capex that were not included in the fourth, some were included in the fifth, but if there will be a need for us to issue a decision on these pending capex projects so NGCP can already start them then we will do that,” Juan said.

Sense of urgency

The ERC chief stressed that the urgency of these projects was also raised by the DoE.

“We have also received a letter from the DoE on these critical capex projects of NGCP that need the attention of ERC. So that’s why we’re prioritizing also,” he said.

The NGCP, which holds the country’s 25-year franchise to operate the power grid, has faced delays in rolling out transmission projects that are crucial to bringing new power plants online and addressing bottlenecks in the grid.

Juan, however, assured that the ERC’s decision-making process will be transparent, citing that commission meetings are being streamed live for the public.

Additionally, Juan said the ERC is turning its attention to power supply issues in off-grid areas, where electricity remains expensive and unreliable.

Off-grid areas, mostly island provinces and remote communities, are powered by small diesel generators and independent power producers, often resulting in higher generation charges passed on to consumers.