Mitsubishi Power to upgrade Makban geothermal facility

By Lenie Lectura – December 2, 2020
from Business Mirror

Mitsubishi Power, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, was selected to upgrade a geothermal power unit of the Makban geothermal power facility owned by AP Renewables Inc. (APRI).

The Japanese firm received an order for the facility upgrading, which is scheduled for completion within next year.

Mitsubishi Power said it will supply a new set of steam turbine components with optimum design for Unit No. 1, in order to optimize its performance and minimize geothermal steam consumption per power output.

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Power’s Nagasaki Works will supply the newly designed steam turbine components, while Mitsubishi Power’s local subsidiary MHI Power (Philippines) Plant Services Corp., the contracting arm of Mitsubishi Power (Philippines) Inc. for its after-sales service business, will provide on-site installation services.

Mitsubishi Power has fulfilled orders for more than 100 geothermal power projects in 13 countries, with a total plant capacity of more than 3,200megawatt (MW). The company said it holds a leading share of the world’s geothermal power generating capacity, and contributed to the stable operation of geothermal power producers around the world by providing robust after-sales services.

Mitsubishi Power added that it will promote the effective utilization of geothermal resources, and contribute to the conservation of the global environment while ensuring stable power supply.

APRI acquired the geothermal power plant that straddles the provinces of Batangas and Laguna from the National Power Corporation in 2009.

In geothermal power generation, hot water produced by magma deep below the earth’s surface is extracted as steam, which is used to drive a turbine.

Of the various forms of renewable energy that emit negligible carbon dioxide during power generation, geothermal power can be produced stably, 24 hours a day, and is virtually unaffected by weather or other factors. For this reason, geothermal power is a clean form of energy that is expected to see expanded application in countries and regions abundant in geothermal resources.

However, facilities and equipment may need to be improved or repaired to adapt to changes in the natural environment over the medium to long term, as is being done in this project.