THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved Citicore Solar Pangasinan Inc.’s application to connect a 125.24 megawatt-peak solar power project in Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan, to the Luzon grid.
In a decision released on Tuesday, the commission authorized Citicore Solar to develop and own point-to-point transmission facilities for the Sta. Barbara 1 project for direct connection to the Balingueo 69-kilovolt (kV) substation owned by National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.Citicore Solar’s transmission facilities consist of a 34.5/69-kV takeoff substation with 40/50 megavolt-ampere (MVA) and 50/62.5 MVA power transformers and a 500-meter, 69 kV double circuit transmission line.The ERC said that based on the company’s application, the estimated total cost of the project would be a little more than P505 million.Construction had already been completed prior to the issuance of the ERC approval, which prompted the regulator to again remind generation companies and grid users intending to undertake similar projects that prior ERC authority should be secured proceeding with development and construction.Citicore Solar Pangasinan is a wholly owned subsidiary of listed Citicore Renewable Energy Corp., whose shares slipped by P0.05, or 1.13 percent, to close at P4.38 each on Tuesday.
