AUSTRALIA-LISTED power firm Energy World Corp. (EWC) has complied with the request of the Department of Energy (DOE) for it to commence the commercial operation of its 400-megawatt (MW) power facility in Pagbilao, Quezon, in time for the anticipated power crisis next year.
This after the turbine and generator of the first 200-MW gas-fired power plant manufactured by Siemens arrived on site at Pagbilao on October 23. The second gas turbine and generator is expected to arrive on site within three weeks.
“As previously advised, we have been requested and encouraged by the DOE to bring these units into commercial operation as soon as we can and we are, therefore, working diligently to meet the request,” EWC Executive Director Brian Allen said.
The company is targeting to have the first 200-MW unit ready for generating power into the Luzon grid by early next year and the second 200-MW unit to come online shortly thereafter.
“We will meet the DOE’s request to bring into commercial operation an additional 400 MW of power capacity to the Luzon grid by summer of 2015, thus addressing the foreseen shortfall in Luzon’s power-generating capacity,” Allen said.
Earlier, Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla said EWC had committed the first 200-MW unit to run before the year-end. However, the company had informed the agency that it has moved this to June next year.
EWC also has plans to put up an additional 250-MW steam-turbine facility “to be phased into this development by year end 2015 or early 2016.”
Latest data provided by the agency has it that the Luzon grid is in need of 678 MW of generating capacity to cover for the 647-MW contingency reserve and 31 MW of deficit.
The DOE has received firm commitments from industry stakeholders an additional 424 MW of capacity but this was already factored into its computation of anticipated shortfall.
For now, Petilla is banking on the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) and independent power producers (IPPs) for additional generating capacity needed by the grid next year now that Congress is no longer in a hurry to grant emergency powers to President Aquino to deal with the power crisis.
Under ILP, its participants will be called upon to voluntarily use their respective generating sets. Through this, power supply from the grid that will not be consumed by participating customers will be available for use by other customers within the franchise area. Thus the aggregate demand for power from the system will be reduced to a more manageable level, helping ensure the availability of supply during the season.
“The IPPs can rehabilitate, expand and fast-track whatever work is being done on their respective power plants. Adding about at least 100 MW more from ongoing rehab will go a long way,” Petilla said.
Last week DMCI Holdings of the Consunji Group has committed to the DOE that it will be able to fire up its first 150-MW coal-fired power plant during summer of 2015.
“DMCI formally submitted document that their new plant will now be online on April 1,” Petilla said. “The other 150 MW will be online on July 1.”