NOTE: THIS PRESS RELEASE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
Cong. Edgar Chatto has asked the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) as well as One Bohol Power to complete power projects within the set 2023 timeline.
Chatto bared this in a media interview amid isolation of the province anew from the grid due to power interruption after Tropical Depression Agaton ravaged Leyte and damaged transmission towers.
With the assistance of USAID COMPETE, the One Bohol Power Supply Project, where Chatto as then-governor created the Bohol Energy Development Advisory Group, opened a space for participation of LGUs in power planning which by law is a national mandate.
The first approach was directed towards a Competitive Selection Process (CSP) to be conducted by One Bohol Power through the Distribution Utilities to select a new power supplier by December 26, 2023, when their existing supply contracts will expire. This supplier shall provide 24/7 power in the province.
It also pushed for the Cebu-Bohol Submarine Cable Power Interconnection through NGCP to assure supply redundancy.
Chatto said both One Bohol Power and NGCP are expected and should make sure to complete their projects in time for the 2023 agreed operation of both facilities, barring any major problems along the way.
Both projects are in progress according to the latest updates of One Bohol Power and NGCP, consistent with the targets earlier set.
Bidding for the power supply was already completed and awarded. This includes a Bohol-based power generating facility that can provide power in case of power supply interruption from Leyte and Cebu.
According to One Bohol Power, only one bidder passed the criteria set in the Terms of Reference (TOR) which set cost-efficiency, resilience and environmental protection. The terms for the bidding set the price requirement to not be higher than the current power rate.
The winning bidder should be ready to supply power by December 26, 2023, as committed.
Before that time, the Cebu-Bohol Power Interconnection Project will have also been operational, assuring power source redundancy.
The Cebu-Bohol Power Interconnection Project is now ongoing, after the recent groundbreaking of the Cable Landing Facility in Maribojoc. NGCP has set its energization target in 2023.
“We are coordinating with Gov. Art Yap who is closely monitoring the implementation of the projects by national government agencies and Distribution Utilities, in support of the power development plan of the Provincial Government and Bohol Energy Development Advisory Group,” Chatto stated.