The authorities in the Philippines are holding a virtual hearing to decide whether a proposed 250 MW floating solar project can be connected to the Luzon grid.
NKS Solar One, a joint venture between Blueleaf Energy Philippines and NKS Energy Utilities, plans to develop, own, and operate the dedicated point-to-point limited transmission facility. It will be built in Lake Caliraya and Lake Lumot, in the province of Laguna, southeast of Manila.
The company is seeking approval from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to proceed with the project. The hearing date has not been disclosed.
According to the filing document, the project involves two phases: a 162 MW floating solar array in Caliraya and an 88 MW floating array in Lumot.
NKS Solar One wants to connect the Caliraya site to the 230 kV Lumban Substation of National Grid Corp. of the Philippines via a 6 km, double-circuit 230 kV transmission line. The Lumot site will connect to the NKS Caliraya Substation via a six-kilometer single-circuit, 230 kV transmission line.
The filing estimates the project's total cost at PHP 1.62 billion ($27.6 million), but final costs could vary.
NKS Solar One said the dedicated facility project will be exclusively funded by the company and will not affect regulated charges. However, the connection point modification at the 230 kV NGCP Lumban Substation will be subject to reimbursement by the grid operator.
The project is scheduled to start construction in the fourth quarter of this year, with completion expected by January 2026 and operations beginning in the first quarter of 2026.
Earlier this year, the Philippines Department of Energy said that almost 2 GW of solar projects would be switched on this year, potentially more than doubling the country's solar capacity from the end of 2023.
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