Power projects get nod for grid study

By Jordeene Sheex Lagare – August 17, 2018
from The Manila Times

THE Department of Energy (DoE) has cleared four renewable energy (RE) projects and one gas-fired project for a grid impact study (GIS) aimed at determining if the electricity they generate can be absorbed by the power grid.

These are the 1,100-megawatt (MW) Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Project of Limay LNG Power Corp. in Limay town, Bataan province; the 80-MW San Jose del Monte Solar Power Project of Manresa Power Corp. in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan province; the 25-MW Biomass Power Plant Project of North Negros Biopower Inc.
in Manapla town, Negros Occidental province; the second phase of the Nabas wind farm of PetroWind Energy Inc. in Malay town, Aklan province that has a 14-MW capacity; and the 14-MW Banale Solar Power Plant of Astronergy Development Pagadian Inc. in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur province.

The DoE’s clearance of these facilities for study comes after Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said in June that the Philippines needed another 10,000 MW of new energy between this year and 2021.

“This increase is translated to a 6 percent annual average growth rate from 2016 to 2040. On a per-grid basis, Mindanao is projected to have the highest annual average growth at 8 percent, followed by Visayas at 7 percent and Luzon at 5 percent,” it said.

The DoE is confident of hitting its target additional capacity by 2021 to secure the country’s power supply, Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella had said.