SMC power unit sets sights on massive LNG projects
BY LENIE LECTURA – DECEMBER 7, 2021
from Business Mirror
The power arm of conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has informed the Department of Energy (DOE) of its plan to put up massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects with a combined capacity of nearly 6,800 megawatts (MW).
Latest data posted on the DOE website showed that San Miguel Electric Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMCGPH)—one of the largest power companies in the country—sought the green light of the agency to proceed with the conduct of system impact study (SIS) for its 6,492 megawatt(MW) Navotas LNG Power Plant.
According to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), SIS is an assessment conducted by the Transmission Network Provider or System Operator in addition to the grid impact studies (GIS) prepared by it in accordance with the Philippine Grid Code. This study is necessary in order to determine the adequacy of the grid and its capability to accommodate a request for power delivery service; and the costs, if any, that may be incurred to provide power delivery service to a transmission customer.
The GIS is a set of technical studies, which are used to assess the possible effects of a proposed expansion, reinforcement, or modification of the grid or a user development and to evaluate significant incidents.
No other details were provided for the 12x541MW LNG power project that will be located in Barangay Tanza, Navotas. When sought for comment, SMC President Ramon S. Ang said the Navotas LNG project is a “plan for [the] next 25 years.”
San Miguel Consolidated Power Corp., another subsidiary of SMCGPH, also applied for the conduct of SIS for its planned 300MW Sangali LNG Project to be located in Sangali, Zamboanga City.
The Navotas LNG and Sangali LNG projects are among the 26 power projects that secured the green light of the DOE for the conduct of SIS as of October and November this year. If all of 26 projects will be successfully put up, these will add 15,743MW of power generation capacity.
The applications of the power arm of Ayala Corp. were also approved. These include the 150MW Pantabangan wind power project of Gigawind2 Inc., 100MWp solar power project of Giga Ace 8 Inc., 1,024MW Calatagan Offshore Wind of Giga Ace 7 Inc., and the 1,248MW Manila Bay wind power of Gigawind 5 Inc.
The applications of ACX3 Capital Holdings Inc. for its 475MW Lucena wind power project, 275MW Tayabas Bay wind power project, 500MW San Miguel Bay wind power project, and 600MW Lubang and Looc Island wind power project were also given the go-signal.
Included in the DOE list are the 600MW (8×75) Tabangao LNG power project of Prestige Power Resources Inc., 48MW Nasipit hybrid energy storage system project of Therma Marine Inc., the solar power project of SolarAce2 Energy Corp. in Zambales, 200MW Bugallon energy storage project of Camsur II Wind Energy Corp., 593MW San Lorenzo Bank offshore wind power of Earth Sol Power Corp., 300MW coal power plant of Reliance Energy Development Inc., 300MW Bagac Bay onshore wind in Bataan, and the 500MW San Enrique Bank offshore wind in Negros Occidental of Earth Sol Power Corp.
The 20MWp solar power of PAVI Green Renewable Energy, Inc.; 60MWp Ramon solar power of PV Sinag Power, Inc.; 95MW baseload power project of Conal Holdings, Corp.; 125MW Kalayaan 4 south wind energy and 125MW Kalayaan 4 north wind energy projects of Cleantech Global Renewables; 280MWp San Isidro solar power of Total Power Inc.; 1,128MW combined cycle gas-fired power plant of Global Luzon Energy Development Corp.; and the 300MW Laguna Lake-Lumban solar power of Lihangin Wind Energy Corp. were also part of the DOE list.
These projects have been issued with certificates of endorsement to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines for clearance to undertake SIS. The certificates were issued in October and November this year and were posted on the DOE website on December 7.
