ERC clears NGCP grid projects for Luzon, Visayas

The Energy Regulatory Commission has authorized the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to move ahead with transmission projects in Luzon and the Visayas worth PHP 33.17 billion to connect new power plants to the grid.

In a decision promulgated on March 18, 2026, the commission approved NGCP’s application to implement a package of capital expenditure, or CAPEX, projects covering connection requirements for incoming generation facilities and sub-transmission systems.

The approved package covers three connection projects in Luzon and two in the Visayas, with the facilities designed to accommodate new power plants and distribution utility connections across multiple substations.

The Department of Energy had certified all five as Energy Projects of National Significance, a classification created under Executive Order No. 30 to fast-track major power generation, transmission, and distribution projects.

The total proposed project cost reached PHP 33.17 billion, with about PHP 32.92 billion net of permit fees, based on figures reviewed by the commission.

The ERC said the approved costs would still undergo further scrutiny and could be optimized based on “actual use and verified expenses incurred” and the supporting invoices to be submitted during the regulatory reset process.

NGCP sought approval for the transmission upgrades through an application filed in August 2025 using the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop, or EVOSS, the platform established under Republic Act No. 11234 to streamline permits for power generation, transmission, and distribution projects.

The proceedings included hearings, submissions from the National Transmission Corporation, or TransCo, and testimonies from NGCP technical officials.

The approval adds to a broader push to expand grid infrastructure as more generation projects seek interconnection, especially in areas where transmission capacity has to keep pace with new supply and growing demand.

Under Republic Act No. 9511, NGCP holds the franchise to operate, manage, maintain, and expand the country’s transmission system, while the Electric Power Industry Reform Act requires open and non-discriminatory access to that network under the Grid Code framework.