NGCP’s New Transmission Line to Boost Iloilo’s Power Reliability

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) has commended the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for its ongoing installation of a third circuit along the Barotac Viejo–Dingle 138-kilovolt transmission line in Iloilo.

The critical infrastructure project is set to be completed and energized by June 2025.

Once operational, it will raise the transmission capacity from 360 megawatts to 640 megawatts across Panay Island.

The additional line is expected to significantly reduce the risk of power disruptions by ensuring redundancy in the event of outages, especially at the Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) power plant in Iloilo City.

“The new transmission line will also improve overall reliability, benefiting the consumers of MORE Power and all the electric cooperatives in Panay and Guimaras islands,” said Roel Castro, president of MORE Power.

“This project will contribute to the overall stability and resilience of the power grid in support of our rehabilitated, uprated, and modernized distribution network,” he added.

The Barotac Viejo–Dingle Line 3 will serve as a critical component in safeguarding against overloading on the current backbone line during peak demand or technical issues.

Adding a third circuit ensures that even if one line goes offline, electricity distribution will not be severely affected.

This level of redundancy strengthens the system’s resilience and minimizes the likelihood of widespread outages.

NGCP and MORE Power have worked closely to align the upgrade with the growing electricity demand of Iloilo City and surrounding areas.

The infrastructure improvement is timely, as Iloilo continues to attract investments and experience urban and economic growth, further driving energy consumption.

Once energized, the line will help ensure that industrial, commercial, and residential consumers in Iloilo and nearby provinces have access to uninterrupted and reliable power.

The project is part of NGCP’s broader commitment to improving transmission reliability nationwide and supporting regional development through robust power infrastructure.

MORE Power, Iloilo City’s sole electricity distribution utility, has been modernizing its systems since taking over operations in 2020, investing billions of pesos in substation upgrades, new distribution lines, and advanced metering systems.

NGCP’s investment in the new 138kV transmission circuit complements these improvements, creating a stronger, more resilient energy grid across Western Visayas.