THE National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is being urged by an industry association to include a budget for “unforeseen transmission upgrades” in its proposed five-year capital expenditure plan to be submitted to Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) next year.

“The biggest issue in the industry is [the absence of] transmission lines for new power plants,” said Luis Miguel O. Aboitiz, a member of the board of trustees of Philippine Independent Power Producers Association, Inc. (PIPPA), on the sidelines of a Senate discussion on energy generation, transmission an distribution issues.

He said a problem arises when NGCP’s five-year capital expenditure plan is approved by the ERC but a new plant starts construction during the budget period without a corresponding upgrade in the transmission facility.

Mr. Aboitiz said PIPPA is suggesting that the NGCP include a budget for “unforseen transmission upgrade” in their five-year plan.

Read more here.