Energy endorses large coal, wind projects

By Alena Mae S. Flores – September 16, 2018 at 07:40 pm
from Business Mirror

The Energy Department declared a 1,200-megawatt coal plant and a 151.2-MW wind facility as projects of national significance.

The two projects brought to four the number of energy projects granted an EPNS status by the department.  The declaration aims to fast-track and streamline the permitting process of the projects under Executive Order No. 30.

It declared Atimonan One Energy’s 1,200-MW coal-fired power plant in Atimonan, Quezon as project of national significance on Sept. 11.

Atimonan One Energy is one of the projects of Meralco PowerGen Corp., the generation arm of Meralco.

The over P100-billion project is now “shovel-ready” and is just awaiting the approval of its power supply agreement with Meralco by the Energy Regulatory Commission.

The department also issued the declaration to Island Wind Energy Corp.’s 151.2-MW Talim wind power project on Aug, 30, 2018.

Island Wind Energy is putting up the project in Talim Island, Binangonan and Cardona, Rizal, with an alternative site in Sembrano, Laguna.

The company offered to supply power to Manila Electric Co. once it starts commercial operations on June 30, 2020 for the first phase and a year later for the second phase.

The Energy Department also granted an EPNS to Aragorn Power and Energy Corp., a majority-owned subsidiary of APC Group Inc.

APC, together with partner Guidance Management Corp., owns the geothermal service contract in Kalinga province covering an area of around 26,000  hectares.

The area is estimated to have a power generation potential of between 120 MW and 200 MW.