Manila: The Maharlika Investment Corporation (MIC) signed a cooperation agreement on Monday with key energy agencies to rehabilitate, modernize, and develop the power transmission infrastructure of Mindoro. This effort aims to enhance the reliability and resiliency of the Mindoro Small Grid while addressing the island's long-term energy needs.
According to Philippines News Agency, the agreement involves collaborative efforts with the National Power Corporation (NPC), the National Transmission Corporation (TransCo), and the National Electrification Administration (NEA). The signing was attended by Department of Energy Secretary Sharon Garin, MIC President and CEO Rafael Consing Jr., NPC President Jericho Jonas Nograles, NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda, and TransCo President and CEO Joseph Omar Alday Castillo.
The cooperation formalizes over a year of interagency coordination and technical collaboration aimed at addressing the structural challenges of the Mindoro Small Grid. The involved parties have been working to assess operational needs, investment pathways, technical priorities, and institutional coordination mechanisms essential for the project's success.
Under the agreement, MIC will play a transitional role as a strategic investor to support the acquisition, financing, and implementation of grid modernization. The corporation is set to finance and conduct technical studies to determine cost-effective methods for grid rehabilitation while maintaining ownership over the work outputs.
MIC will also explore strategic investments to potentially purchase, rehabilitate, and upgrade the off-grid transmission assets currently owned by NPC. Based on study results, MIC can choose to lead or participate in infrastructure upgrades, aligning with its investment and risk management strategies.
NEA will coordinate technical requirements and program implementation, while TransCo will offer technical and operational expertise as the designated Small Grid System Operator (SGSO). NPC will provide administrative support, access to relevant operational data, and facilitate due diligence activities related to its Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) assets at no cost.
Currently, Mindoro's off-grid transmission system operates through a single-loop 69-kilovolt network. Planned improvements include reconfiguring the system into a more resilient sectionalized network, deploying modern grid monitoring technologies, and enhancing line accessibility to ensure quicker maintenance and restoration. MIC stated that these improvements aim to lay the groundwork for Mindoro's future interconnection with the national grid.
