San Simon town, this province on Monday lifted the closure order on the 230-kiloVolt (kV) substation construction site of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in an industrial park.
This was a decision made following the hearing by the Pampanga provincial government of led by Governor Dennis Pineda, Vice Governor Lilia Pineda, the town’s local officials, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the NGCP regarding the closure order.
“Kailangan natin ‘tong substation na ‘to para hindi magkaproblema ang present at future investors natin dito sa Pampanga (We need this substation to avoid problems on our present and future investors here in Pampanga),” the vice governor said during the hearing.
San Simon Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr. issued the closure order last Sept. 9, noting the construction of the substation was undertaken without the necessary permits required by the local government.
“Hinihingi lang po namin ang proof of ownership ng tinatayuan ng planta, pero ngayon, they complied na po, okay na po ang lahat (What we have been asking was just the proof of ownership where the substation is being constructed. But now, they already complied. Everything is now alright),” the mayor said.
During the hearing, the NGCP presented its land title of over a 10-hectare property it bought inside the Global Asiana Business Park 2, convincing Punsalan of the firm’s ownership of the property and its location in an industrial zone.
Lawyer Cynthia Alabanza, NGCP assistant vice president for public relations, said the firm had complete permits and clearances.
Alabanza thanked the governor and vice governor for helping review the process, noting that the closure order delayed critical construction works.
The NGCP said the San Simon 230kV substation project was certified as an Energy Project of National Significance by the Department of Energy in 2019.
It also said the project will reinforce the reliability and stability of power transmission services in the Luzon grid, by serving as an alternate source for customers connected to the existing Mexico substation.
Arthur Punsalan, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office head, has recommended to the San Simon municipality to create a multi-partite monitoring team that includes the Environmental Management Bureau.
NGCP is a Filipino-led, privately owned company in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid, led by majority shareholders and Vice Chairman of the Board Henry Sy Jr. and co-Vice Chairman Robert Coyiuto Jr.
It is the sole operating asset of Synergy Grid and Development Philippines Inc. (PNA)
