Philippines seeks China's help for power transmission project

Philippines seeks China's help for power transmission project

The Philippine's Department of Energy is seeking the assistance of China's
National Energy Administration (NEA) and State Grid Corporation (SGC) in
exploring ways to fast track the line transmission development in the
Southern and Central Philippines regions.

Energy minister, Alfonso Cusi, was quoted by the Philippines Inquirer that
he has met with his Chinese counterparts to discuss the development of the
Southern Philippines grid backbone and its potential distribution of
electricity to the household levels in Mindanao (Southern Philippines). This
development came amidst the ongoing series of power outages that plunged
part of Mindanao into darkness this month.

Cusi said that the assistance they were seeking from China is more on the
technical expertise - on how the energy department can speed up the
transmission development plan. The National Electrification Administration
reported that the Southern Philippines energisation is only 74% compared
with the central and northern regions of the Philippines where
electrification levels have reached 95.5% and 94% respectively.

Cusi emphasised that if Mindanao wanted peace, all households must have
power.

Despite government's effort to introduce new economic development
initiatives in Mindanao, at least a quarter of the island remains below the
poverty threshold and analysts have attributed this issue as one of the root
causes of Mindanao becoming terror cells breeding ground. The provinces of
Basilan and Sulu in Mindanao are the poorest in Philippines and are known as
the cradle of militant extremism.

The Department of Energy expects that a connection of Visayas grid to
Mindanao grid can contribute to resolving poverty in the area and promote
peace and development.

The Philippine Star reported that the proposal to link the Visayas and
Mindanao grids started as early as the 1980s but it delayed due to the
change of administration and new laws introduced, which reorganised the
power sector.

Mindanao is home to 21 million people and is the hometown of Philippine
President Rodrigo Duterte.

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Link to Original Article:
http://www.ibtimes.sg/philippines-seeks-chinas-help-power-transmission-proje
ct-10358

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com