GEOTHERMAL giant Energy Development Corp. (EDC), formerly Philippine National Oil Co.-Energy Development Corp. (PNOC-EDC), reported Tuesday that the 75 megavolt-ampere (MVA) transformer at the Mindanao I Geothermal power plant has been damaged.

EDC, in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), said its build, operate, transfer (BOT) contractor—the Mindanao I Geothermal Partnership (M1GP), has advised the company that, at the close of business on August 15,  that the 75 MVA transformer of the power plant has been damaged based on an internal inspection conducted.

Based on M1GP’s assessment, EDC said, the transformer repair will be completed and that the transformer will be ready to be synchronized to the grid on or before October 15, 2008.

 EDC earlier reported that the Mindanao I Power Plant (M1) tripped off on July 16 due to the activation of the power plant’s protective relays and that attempts of M1GP to energize the said power plant have been unsuccessful.

M1GP is EDC’s BOT contractors, and the transfer of the facility to EDC is expected to be June next year.

EDC said M1GP is in the process of carrying out several tests and inspections to check the status of equipment.

EDC has earlier identified three major platforms to assure its growth in the future,  such as domestic expansion coming by way of either organic growth or through the acquisition of the National Power Corp.-owned geothermal plants, and through an expansion of geothermal power production and capacity overseas.

For an organic growth, EDC has lined up the integrated development of seven new geothermal fields with an estimated capacity conservatively of a minimum of 280 megawatts (MW) up to a maximum of 310 MW.

EDC has also programmed the development of these assets to capitalize on the demand growth and supply shortages anticipated by the Department of Energy.

EDC noted that the completion of the BOT contract in 2009 for the two Mindanao power plants will increase  EDC’s electric generating capacity by an additional 104 MW. --P. Isla

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