NGCP plans P24 billion submarine grid link for Mindoro

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March 18, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is spending P23.9 billion to install submarine cables that will enable power transfer from Batangas to Mindoro Island.

The proposed 500 kiloVolt (kV) Batangas-Mindoro Interconnection and Backbone Project (BMIBP) submarine cable seeks to provide Mindoro with access to the power supply available in the main Luzon grid.

Targeted for completion by January 2028, the project also aims to reduce the island’s reliance on diesel plants and encourage the development of renewable energy projects on and offshore Mindoro.

The NGCP is now pursuing environmental clearance for the project after securing approval from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

The project will begin at the cable terminal station in Lobo, Batangas, cross the Verde Island Passage and connect to the CTS in Oriental Mindoro.

It involves the installation of approximately 28.5 kilometers of submarine power cables, which will be initially energized at 230 kV, the NGCP said in a filing with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

With this project, the country’s sole transmission operator intends to address supply limitations associated with Mindoro’s current status as an isolated grid.

The submarine cable system forms part of Stage 1 of the P90-billion BMIBP, which received the green light from the ERC late last year.

The first stage entails constructing overhead transmission lines and submarine cables from the Pinamucan substation in Batangas to the planned Calapan substation in Oriental Mindoro.

The second stage, meanwhile, involves the energization of the transmission lines and submarine cables as well as the full development of the 500-kV Calapan substation.

“Mindoro Island remains an isolated grid that depends on localized generation, making it vulnerable to fuel cost fluctuations, outages and insufficient capacity to meet growing demand,” the NGCP said.

Diesel prices in Metro Manila and urban areas may climb to as high as P115 per liter this week amid the global oil crisis, according to the Department of Energy.

“This connection is expected to provide a more stable and cost-efficient power supply, reduce reliance on diesel generation and strengthen both regional and national energy security,” the grid operator said.