AboitizPower optimizes Negros solar plant

By Jordeene B. Lagare – April 1, 2021
from The Manila Times

Aboitiz Power Corp. has optimized the capacity of its solar power plant in San Carlos, Negros Occidental in time for the summer season, its top official said.

Through San Carlos Sun Power Inc. (SacaSun), AboitizPower owns and operates the solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation plant located in the San Carlos Ecozone.

AboitizPower President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Rubio told reporters the company has achieved the “maximum capacity” of 46 megawatts for the solar facility.

“The inverters are sized to generate that capacity,” Rubio told reporters.

Rubio said they managed to achieve the solar plant’s maximum capacity following the completion of the south line project, enabling the solar power plant to continue uninterrupted.

The south line project aims to connect the facility to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines’ (NGCP) transmission system to dispatch electricity generated by the solar power plant to the Visayas grid.

“The south line was only completed by NGCP I think a week ago or two weeks ago and they were only to energize that early this week,” said Rubio.

Rubio said the solar plant’s contribution to AboitizPower’s bottom line will be “starting this year.”

“We’ll see the 23 megawatts very much in timing with summer to take advantage of the summer prices for the additional 23 megawatts,” he added.

Inaugurated in 2016, the solar farm helps prevent the emission of more than 44,000 tons of carbon dioxide over 20 years, which is equivalent to taking around 10,000 cars off the road.

AboitizPower shares tumbled by 20 centavos or 0.84 percent to close at P23.50 each on Wednesday.