Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 6) — The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has given the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) 15 days to explain its 37 pending transmission projects.
Of that number, the ERC said 26 have yet to be completed, while three have not yet started.These projects were delayed for an average of 820 days or almost three years. The longest reached more than seven years.The ERC warned the NGCP of administrative penalties if it fails to sufficiently defend itself.NGCP is really the biggest monopoly… I expect NGCP will deliver. Some of the deliverables were originally before the pandemic,” Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla earlier said.The NGCP has maintained its projects were stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic and right-of-way issues.Lotilla expressed frustration, saying the NGCP should have completed the projects before, especially since it has an incentive of only 3% franchise tax and no other taxes are paid.
