ALSONS Consolidated Resources Inc. (ACR) of the Alcantara Group is set to begin construction of three major power projects in Mindanao this year.
These three projects are the second 105-megawatt (MW) section of the 210-MW Sarangani Energy Corp. (SEC) baseload coal-fired power plant in Maasim, Sarangani; the 15-MW Siguil River run-of-river hydroelectric plant, also in Maasim, Sarangani; and the 105-MW San Ramon Power Inc. (SRPI) baseload coal-fired power plant in Talisayan, Zamboanga City.
SEC Section 2 is expected to begin operating in 2018. ACR earlier announced SEC Section 1 began operating in April, providing 105 MW of much-needed additional baseload power to more than 3 million residents of Sarangani province, General Santos City and other key areas of Mindanao in time to help ensure an ample and steady supply of electricity in those areas. When it reaches its full 210-MW capacity in 2018, SEC will be serving over 6 million people in key population areas in Mindanao. The $570-million SEC power plant is the single-largest investment in Sarangani province and the entire Region 12.
Meanwhile, the 15-MW Siguil run-of-river power plant will be ACR’s first renewable-energy venture. The hydropower project is expected to be up and running in 2018. Aside from the Siguil project, the company plans to develop other run-of-river hydropower projects with a total potential capacity of 185 MW in different places in Mindanao and Negros Occidental.
The 105-MW SRPI plant is projected to begin operating in 2019 to provide baseload power to Zamboanga City and other key areas in Mindanao. Together with SEC Section 1, ACR currently operates three diesel-power facilities: the 103-MW Mapalad Power Corp. diesel plant in Iligan City; the 55-MW Southern Philippines Power Corp. facility in Alabel, Sarangani; and the 100-MW power plant of the Western Mindanao Power Corp. in Zamboanga City. All four Alsons power plants have significantly contributed to alleviating the power shortage in Mindanao.
By 2019, ACR-affiliated power facilities will have around 588 MW of generating capacity, approximately 25 percent of Mindanao’s projected peak-power demand for that year.