NGCP Exec Pushes Baseload Power Plant for Negros Island

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — A National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) executive is advocating for a baseload power plant on Negros Island to ensure power stability.

NGCP Assistant Vice President and Head of Public Relations Cynthia Perez Alabanza told Daily Guardian on Wednesday, during the NGCP Power 101 media briefing, that “we definitely need a baseload power plant in Negros.”

She pointed out that the island’s power demand is constantly increasing, saying, “We need power all the time, and demand never goes down.”

Alabanza added, “We have to stay ahead; it takes three to seven years to build a power plant and about the same time to build the supporting transmission lines.”

She emphasized the importance of long-term planning, noting, “We need to be planning for seven years ahead to maintain stable electricity supply.”

Alabanza explained that while there are various types of power plants, “what we need is a baseload power plant that provides stable electricity and isn’t intermittent.”

She noted that solar energy is intermittent, stating, “When there’s cloud cover, there’s no power generation.”

“What we need is a stable baseload plant to consistently generate power; that stability is crucial,” Alabanza stressed.

She suggested an “energy mix” would be ideal, saying, “The energy mix is essential because relying on one technology can be risky. Coal is subject to global price spikes, hydro plants depend on water levels, and solar and wind are intermittent.”

Alabanza explained, “A balanced mix of technologies can support each other and ensure uninterrupted power for consumers.”

She clarified NGCP’s role, noting that “consumers don’t get bills from NGCP.”

“We deliver power from generators to distributors. We don’t buy or sell electricity; power plants and distribution utilities contract with us to deliver their purchased electricity through our lines,” she said.

Alabanza added that NGCP charges a transmission “wheeling rate,” a fixed fee per grid that is not based on consumption.

She reiterated the need for more power generators on Negros Island to ensure stability.

NGCP Assistant Vice President and Visayas Systems Operation Head Neil Martin Modina echoed Alabanza’s call for a baseload plant on Negros Island.

He shared that Negros produces 300 megawatts from solar power, 240 megawatts from geothermal, and 26 megawatts from diesel, totaling 540 megawatts.

Negros’ peak demand is 380 megawatts.

“Negros must have baseload generation to counter renewable energy’s intermittency and ensure stable, sufficient power,” Modina said.