Barring any hitches, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) will fully energize its P19-billion, Cebu-Bohol power transmission line on Saturday, finishing the project five months ahead of its initially projected completion date of December.
The 230-kilovolt transmission line which spans across Argao, Cebu and Maribojoc, Bohol was initially energized on Monday but Mike Ligalig, regional affairs lead specialist of NGCP, clarified that the activation of the facility was merely a test with the full energization set later this week.
“Wala pay gipatabok na kuryente. Nisuway lang ta, kung sa sakyanan pa, gi-test lang kung mo-function ba siya. Initially pa to siya na test and it was successful pero wala pay power na gi-load ug gi dawat from Cebu to Bohol,” Ligalig said.
All facilities between Argao and Maribojoc including the 27-kilometer submarine cable have already been completed but these still have to undergo a series of tests before the transmission line is fired up for full operation.
“After all the tests, and kung ma successful ni, we will officially announce na mo-load na ta og power,” Ligalig added.
The project was reportedly fast-tracked for it to be completed in time for President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s State of the National Address on Monday next week.
It is expected to help ensure power sufficiency in the province which mostly draws its power from the neighboring province of Leyte through another submarine cable.
The 230-kilovolt line, which has a maximum capacity of 1,200 megawatts, is expected to help Bohol meet its growing power demand, which is fueled by the resurgence of the province’s tourism sector.
Earlier, Department of Energy Undersecretary Rowena Guevara took note of Bohol’s surging power needs with average power demand jumping to 130 MW from 90 MW in the month of May.
“That’s almost a 50-percent increase because of tourism. Fortunately, ,erong linya ang Bohol from Leyte na tumutulong, kaya lang pag bumagsak yang Bohol-Leyte, kawawa talaga,” said Guevara.
In the previous decade, Bohol was repeatedly plunged into darkness when calamities such as storms and an earthquake damaged the transmission line and the power generation facilities in Leyte.
The opening of the transmission line between Bohol and Cebu is also expected to entice investors to build in-island power plants in the province as the new NGCP facility would allow them to transmit excess power supply to the rest of the Visayas. (A. Doydora)