In Luzon, the biggest upcoming power project is the 600-MW...

In Luzon, the biggest upcoming power project is the 600-MW combined cycle gas-fired power plant in Baragay Ibabang Polo, Grande Island in Pagbilao, Quezon. Energy World Corp., the company behind the project, plans to build three identical units of 200-MW plants in the area.​

Target testing and commissioning date of the first unit is expected in June this year, with commercial operations scheduled in July. The corresponding dates for the second unit is September and October 2016, and for the third unit in February and March 2017.​

I BELIEVE THE ABOVE DATES WILL BE ACHIEVED AND EWC ARE NOW LOOKING FOR A "CENERAL MANAGER-HEAD OFFICE MANILA" TO MANAGE BOTH PROJECTS AND POSSIBLE OTHERS.​

MOVING FORWARD AT LAST​

Posted on April 03, 2016 07:26:00 PM

Coal-fired plants are 63% of projects in pipeline


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BETWEEN this year and 2019, the Philippines may expect 5,687.53 megawatts (MW) of new capacity at least 63% of which will be provided by coal-fired power plants, latest data from the Department of Energy (DoE) show.

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This comes amid criticism that the country is hardly veering away from electricity supplied by plants that are powered by coal, which is considered the dirtiest of fossil fuels.

As of February, the “committed” power projects -- or those that have reported financial closing and are in various stages of development and securing permits -- will largely rise in Luzon at 3,138.7 MW or 55.2% of the total. Mindanao will see new capacity amounting to 1,853.6 MW or 32.6% of the total. The rest will be constructed in the Visayas.

The DoE data also highlight how far away the country is in achieving the department’s aspirational goal of sourcing 30% of energy needs from coal, natural gas and renewable energy. The rest is expected to come from oil- or diesel-powered plants.

Next to coal, the biggest contributor to the expected additional capacity is natural gas at 20.2%. Solar farms are at a distant third with around 8.5%. Diesel or oil plants, geothermal, hydropower, wind and biomass facilities will each contribute less than 5%.

As of end-2015, the DoE said the country has a total installed capacity of 18,695 MW and a dependable capacity of 16,451 MW. Of the installed capacity, coal-powered plants made up 31.5%, while oil-based and natural gas-fired plants accounted for 19.3% and 15.3%, respectively.

Renewable energy sources geothermal, hydro, wind, solar and biomass had a corresponding share of 10.3%, 19.3%, 2.3%, 0.9% and 1.2%.

In Luzon, the biggest upcoming power project is the 600-MW combined cycle gas-fired power plant in Baragay Ibabang Polo, Grande Island in Pagbilao, Quezon. Energy World Corp., the company behind the project, plans to build three identical units of 200-MW plants in the area.

Target testing and commissioning date of the first unit is expected in June this year, with commercial operations scheduled in July. The corresponding dates for the second unit is September and October 2016, and for the third unit in February and March 2017.

The second biggest project in Luzon is the 460-MW coal-fired plant of San Buenaventura Power Ltd. Co. in Mauban, Quezon. The project has a target testing and commissioning date in December 2018, with an expected commercial operation in June 2019.

In Mindanao, the biggest project is the 540-MW clean coal-fired power plant of GN Power Kauswagan Ltd. Co. in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte. Testing and commissioning is expected in December 2017 while commercial operation is seen in March 2019.

As of end-2015, the DoE said the country has a total installed capacity of 18,695 MW and a dependable capacity of 16,451 MW. Of the installed capacity, coal-powered plants made up 31.5%, while oil-based and natural gas-fired plants accounted for 19.3% and 15.3%, respectively.

Energy Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada earlier said that building coal-fired power plants remains the most attractive option for power generation companies because they do not need the big capitalization required for, say, renewable energy facilities.

She said that for now, the country still needs coal-fired plants to power the economy, one of the fast growing in region. But she also said that the department was looking at setting minimum standards for new power plants to meet.

Investment in the energy sector is private sector-driven after the passage of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001. -- Victor V. Saulon​