DOE lists ‘ideal’ location for new power plants
By Lenie Lectura – June 12, 2017
from Business Mirror
The Department of Energy (DOE) has identified ideal locations all over the country where new power projects should be put up in line with the projected 43,765 megawatts (MW) of additional capacity needed in the country by 2040.
“We have already indicated the ideal locations of the needed generation capacities after considering all the important factors,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.
For Luzon, the National Capital Region and Bicol region have been identified as ideal locations in which to put up new power plants.
For the Visayas, ideal locations are in Cebu, Bohol and Samar.
And for Mindanao, Zamboanga Sibugay, Sultan Kudarat and Agusan del Sur are the ideal sites.
Of the 43,765 MW of additional capacity needed by 2040, base- load power plants will account for 25,265MW, midmerit plants by 14,500 MW and peaking plants by 4,000 MW.
A base-load power plant provides continuous supply of electricity throughout the year with some minimum power-generation requirement.
Midmerit plants supply the gap between base load and peaking plants, which operate during peak hours when there is high demand for electricity. Natural-gas plants are common examples of midmerit plants.
The DOE is pursuing to develop technology-neutral energy sources in meeting the ideal proportion of 70-percent base load, 20-percent- midmerit and 10-percent peaking requirements for power generation.
To provide for this growing demand, the total energy-supply requirement is seen to reach the level of 134.2 million tons of oil equivalent by 2040, from just 52.2 million tons of oil equivalent in 2016. Fossil-based sources will continue to get the lion’s share in the total supply mix.
“We are determined to achieve the ideal and dependable 70-20-10 energy mix, through massive infrastructure development with the indispensable participation of the private sector.
“The quest to explore and use local or indigenous sources of energy, like renewables, fossil fuels and alternative fuels, will continue as a matter of policy. And in this age of rapidly developing technology, we will even encourage the entry of clean, efficient and smart technologies in the market,” Cusi said.
