MTerra Solar eyes P14.2-B link to Luzon grid
Terra Solar Philippines, Inc. will build a P14.2-billion transmission facility to connect its massive solar farm in Luzon to the power grid.
Based on a document from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the affiliate of Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN) focused on the construction of the P200-billion MTerra Solar facility, was allowed to develop and own point-to-point limited transmission assets.
The facilities include a bus-in connection along the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines’ (NGCP) Nagsaag-San Jose 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line. This would be an interim connection to the grid.
The group will also build a direct connection to NGCP’s planned San Isidro 500 kV substation as the final and permanent link to the grid.
For this project, the company tapped Maxipro Development Corp., Fujian Electric Power Engineering Co. Ltd. and Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corp.
The ERC, however, rejected its proposal to operate and maintain the facilities. In turn, the regulator assigned NGCP to be in charge of the infrastructure once operational.
The first phase of the MTerra Solar project, with a target capacity of 2,500 megawatts (MW), is expected to be finished by next year.
The second phase, with a capacity of 1,000 MW, might go online by 2027.
The project will also be equipped with a 4,000 MW-hour battery energy storage system.
