By Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine
Star) | Updated September 12, 2013 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - The Energy
Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved the proposal of Manila Electric Co.
(Meralco) to put up a substation at the sprawling Entertainment City of
state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).
The power sector regulator said it has
approved the proposed 115- kilovolt substation (Pagcor-1 substation) since it
is in accordance with the provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act
of 2001.
With the grant of a provisional
authority, Meralco would be able to immediately proceed with the project that
will serve as a catalyst in the development of the area and a signal for
investors that there will be adequate infrastructure to meet their power
demands.
“This will enable the developers to
proceed with their own undertakings, all in support of the nation’s continued
economic growth,” the ERC said.
Meralco senior vice-president and head
of customer retail services Al Panlilio has said with increased activities from
gaming and other services at the booming 120-hectare Entertainment City,
Meralco sees additional revenues once the project is complete.
He said Meralco expects to complete
the substation by September 2014.
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The power firm forecasts an additional
41.5 gigawatt-hours electricity usage a month from all four Pagcor licensees
once their operations go full blast.
Solaire Resort and Casino, owned by
ports magnate Enrique Razon, is projected to consume four gwh per month while
Belle Grande, controlled by Henry Sy’s SM Group, needs at least 2.5 gwh
monthly.
Manila Bay Resorts of Japanese gaming
tycoon Kazuo Okada’s Universal Entertainment Group is expected to consume 13
gwh initially while property tycoon Andrew Tan’s Travellers International Hotel
Group expects its Resorts World Bayshore Casino to use up 22 gwh a month when
it opens in 2016.
In its filing with the ERC in May,
Meralco proposed to build a P1.15-billion substation.
Meralco said it would need at least 18
months to commission the project. As such, the power utility firm appealed to
regulators for a provisional authority (PA) for the purpose.
According to its plan, Meralco plans
to put up a 2.4 kilometer, 115-kV substation with two 83 megavolt amperes power
transformers.
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