SAN SIMON SUB-STATION. The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) on Thursday (Oct. 20, 2022) appealed to the local government unit of San Simon in Pampanga to lift its order of halting the construction of a 230-kilovolt (kV) substation in that town. Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr. signed a closure order dated Sept. 9, 2022, claiming the substation was constructed without the necessary permits required by the local government of San Simon. (Photo courtesy of NGCP)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is appealing to the local government unit of San Simon this province to lift its order of halting the construction of a 230-kilovolt (kV) substation in that town.
The NGCP said in a statement on Thursday that the power supply in this province might be affected if the construction of the substation in San Simon would not push through.
“Without this substation, the reliability of transmission services in the Pampanga area is threatened, and power interruptions are a real possibility,” the NGCP said.
Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr. signed a closure order dated Sept. 9, this year, claiming the substation was constructed without the necessary permits required by the local government.
The NGCP, however, said it had presented to the local government unit of San Simon a copy of the building permit it issued for the project in June 2021 before the construction of the substation.
Likewise, the NGCP said the substation was certified as an Energy Project of National Significance (EPNS) by the Department of Energy in 2019.
The San Simon 230-kV substation is designed as an alternate source of power for customers connected to the Mexico substation.
The NGCP seeks to reinforce the reliability and stability of power transmission services in the Luzon grid.
“We are appealing to the local officials of San Simon led by Mayor Punsalan to lift the closure order and allow NGCP to continue with this grid improvement initiative," the company said.
"We share the common goal of delivering efficient and reliable services to the Filipino people,” it added.
The corporation is a Filipino-led, privately owned company in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid. (PNA)
