Magat battery storage project under way – SNAP
By Ed Paolo Salting – February 22, 2025
from The Manila Times
SN Aboitiz Power Group (SNAP), AboitizPower Corp.’s (AboitizPower) joint venture with Norway’s Scatec, has started construction of the second phase of its Magat Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility at the Magat hydroelectric power plant in Ramon, Isabela.
SNAP said that upon completion, the 16-megawatt (MW) Magat BESS Phase 2 would be integrated with the existing 24-MW Magat BESS 1, which began commercial operations in January 2024.
The combined 40-MW facility will operate as a single system and will provide ancillary services such as regulating reserves and contingency reserves to improve grid efficiency and reliability.
SNAP said the Magat BESS Phase 2 was part of a second wave of battery projects to be pursued this year.
Earlier this week, it said that it had signed engineering, procurement and construction agreements with GEDI China Energy, a subsidiary of China Energy Engineering Group, for the development of the 40-MW Binga BESS facility at the Binga hydroelectric power plant in Itogon, Benguet.
SNAP said the Magat and Binga BESS facilities, along with its other related initiatives, were key milestones in ongoing efforts to expand its energy storage capacity. It added that construction of its latest BESS projects were set to begin in the first half of 2025 with commercial operations targeted for the first half of next year.
“With the additional 56 MW of BESS projects across our plants and the launch of our integrated remote operations center, we are not only increasing the energy supply but also enhancing energy security and grid stability, in line with our long-term sustainability goals,” SNAP President and CEO Joseph Yu said.
“All these initiatives reflect our commitment to providing innovative and sustainable energy solutions,” he added.
SNAP this week also said that it had acquired funding for the two BESS projects after the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), China Banking Corp. (Chinabank) and BDO Unibank Inc. (BDO) signed agreements with the company.
BPI and Chinabank will finance construction of Magat BESS Phase 2 while BPI and BDO will provide funding for the Binga BESS facility.
AboitizPower’ shares went up by P0.80, or 1.9 percent, to P43 on Friday.
