Transmission firm National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has energized the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP) —an initiative aimed to improve power stability and reliability across the country

In a statement, the NGCP said an initial load of 22.5 megawatts (MW) was carried by the high-voltage submarine and overhead lines from Mindanao to Visayas during the project’s energization on April 30.

The NGCP said the MVIP is comprised of a 184 circuit-kilometer (ckm) High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) submarine transmission line connecting the power grids of Mindanao and Visayas with a transfer capacity of 450 MW expandable to as much as 900 MW.

“We expect to gradually increase the MVIP’s transfer capacity to 50MW by mid-May, and 112MW by the end of the month, before energizing to its full transfer capacity of 450MW by the third quarter of this year,” the grid operator said.

The company said the project also includes converter stations in both regions and more than 500 km of overhead lines to facilitate the flow of electricity.

The MVIP will benefit consumers by providing them with a more reliable and sustainable power transmission service that will lessen the instances of power interruptions, according to the NGCP.

It will also promote energy resource sharing, as excess power generated in one region can now be transmitted to the other, the grid operator said.

“The completion of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project is a significant achievement for us and the Philippines as a whole. This will not only improve the reliability of our transmission services but will lead to efficient energy utilization as one Philippine grid,” the NGCP said.

The company said parts of the MVIP were completed in 2022, such as the Lala-Aurora 138kV Transmission Line, the 350kV Submarine Cable, and Cable Terminal Stations in Santander, Cebu, and Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte.

“NGCP is committed to providing the Filipino people with a reliable transmission network which is the backbone of the nation’s development. The completion of the MVIP is a significant step towards achieving that goal,” the NGCP said. (Ted Cordero/GMA News)