The Philippines’ Department of Energy and the state-owned National Transmission Corporation are exploring financing options with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and World Bank for the Visayas-Mindanao grid connection project. It is expected to cost PhP 52 billion and is scheduled for completion in 2020. NGCP has recently finalised the project’s route, which will begin in Cebu and terminate in Dipolog, interconnecting the Visayas and Mindanao grids. At present, the department is undertaking a study to determine the financing and technical issues involved in the implementation of the project. It has also sought technical assistance from China’s National Energy Administration and the State Grid Corporation of China for exploring ways to speed up grid network development works in Mindanao.
