The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is still on track to complete the Cebu-Bohol Interconnection Project (CBIP) by November 2023 despite lingering right-of-way issues, an official said.
According to CBIP project manager Ian Husain, expropriation cases have been filed against those who refused to sell their properties to make way for the NGCP’s facilities.
“Ang right of way, naa gyud na kapunay ang atong challenges. Naa gyuy daghan mo refuse. So our right-of-way team are undergoing the filing of expropriation cases for those landowners na dili mo accept sa atong offer,” said Husain during the provincial government’s weekly press briefing on Friday.
Expropriation is an act of taking over a privately owned property to benefit the public good through the government’s power of eminent domain.
Husain said right-of-way issues in both Bohol and Cebu sides have been the biggest challenge for them in the completion of the CBIP.
For his part, Governor Aris Aumentado said he created a task force to assist the NGCP in legal matters and other issues involving the construction of the CBIP which is poised to help Bohol gain stable power sources.
He added that he is just awaiting any call for assistance by the NGCP.
“I created a task force na mo help nila sa tanang mga problema. So far, wala pa man sila mo duol namo so likely pasasbot kaya pa nila,” said Aumentado.
According to Husain, the CBIP will connect substations in Argao, Cebu and Maribojoc, Bohol is already over 55 percent complete.
The 230-kilovolt line which has a maximum capacity of 1,200 megawatts is expected to help Bohol meet its growing power demand.
With the new transmission line, Bohol will also be no longer be solely dependent on Leyte for power supply.
It was earlier announced that the CBIP will be part of the Visayas 230-kV looping interconnection.
The NGCP is currently working on a 230-kV line connecting Cebu and Negros and another line connecting Negros to Panay.
It also plans on establishing a second line between Leyte and Bohol also utilizing a 230-kV line which has more load capacity than the existing 138-kV line between the two provinces.