Buhawind Gets NGCP Nod on Grid Connection, Collaborates with Mariano Marcos State University for Northern Luzon Offshore Wind Project

PGEC and MMSU officials meet to explore collaboration on offshore wind workforce development in Ilocos Norte. From left to right are: Andreana C. Bravante – PGEC Environmental and Community Relations Assistant, Vanessa G. Peralta – PERC Vice President for Corporate Communications, MMSU President Dr. Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., Dr. Bjorn Santos, Director of MMSU National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center, and Dr. Marlowe Aquino MMSU Planning Director.

​Buhawind Energy Northern Luzon Corporation (BENLC) secured the Facilities Study (FS) approval for its 2,000 MW Northern Luzon Offshore Wind Power Project (NLOSWPP) from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on July 24, 2025.

​The FS outlines the critical technical requirements necessary for the safe and seamless integration of NLOSWPP into the national grid, including detailed specifications for substation components, control systems, transformer configurations, and protection relay settings. NGCP’s planned 500 kV Burgos Substation, whose completion is a key prerequisite for the project's energization, is the stipulated connection point for BENLC’s offshore wind project in Ilocos Norte.

Yuchengco-led PetroGreen Energy Corporation (PGEC), the renewable energy holding firm of publicly-listed PetroEnergy Resources Corporation (PERC), formed BENLC with Danish renewable energy firm Copenhagen Energy. PGEC Vice President for Technical Operations Paul Elmer C. Morala stated, “We thank NGCP for the approval of the FS which was filed last June following NGCP’s approval of the amended System Impact Study in April 2025. NGCP’s meticulous study and evaluation of the grid connection requirements put BENLC in a stronger position to design and deliver power infrastructure that not only meets the highest technical standards but also contributes meaningfully to the Department of Energy’s agenda of increasing the country’s power supply and accelerating our transition to clean energy.” Morala added, “BENLC looks forward to similar skillful efforts and thorough assessment by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) on the development of Port Currimao for offshore wind operations not just for BENLC but also for ten other offshore wind service projects in northern Philippines that can potentially use Port Currimao in the near future.”

In parallel, BENLC has begun networking with national government agencies, local government units, and academic institutions to lay the foundation for a skilled offshore wind workforce in the Ilocos region. On June 11, PGEC, led by Vice President for Corporate Communications Vanessa Peralta met with Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) officials led by President Dr. Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., Dr. Bjorn Santos, Director of National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center, and Dr. Marlowe Aquino, MMSU Planning Director, to explore local workforce development in Ilocos Norte. The parties identified skills gap mapping, micro-credentialing initiatives, upskilling trainings, and possible cross-enrollment programs between MMSU and BENLC’s partner school, Mapúa University. To ensure alignment and maximize impact, both agreed to convene various stakeholders in Ilocos Norte to consolidate ongoing efforts.