THE Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corp. has pre-qualified three interested bidders vying for the sale of the structures, plant equipment, auxiliaries and accessories of the decommissioned 850-megawatt (MW) Sucat Thermal Power Plant in Muntinlupa City.
Out of the six bidders who initially expressed interest to bid and subsequently submitted documentary deliverables stipulated under the bidding procedures, only three companies were found to be fully compliant. These companies are the Riverbend Consolidated Mining Corp., VPD Trading and GG Uy Bonapor Metal Contractor Co.
The other three who did not make it to the list are United Metro Steel Philippines Corp., Aluminum Recycling Specialist Inc. and Azzions Recycling Solutions Inc.
The qualified bidders will be allowed to participate in the bidding process and are expected to submit their bids for the Sucat plant on May 31 on an “as is, where is” basis.
The sale also includes the obligation to clean up and remediate the site, which means the buyer shall return the present site to ground zero (road level) free and clear of wastes, toxic substances, debris and structures.
The Sucat plant was operational for 33 years before Units 1 and 4 were decommissioned in January 2000, and Units 2 and 3 were shut down in January 2002.
The oil-fired power plant was previously owned by the Manila Electric Co., and later acquired by the National Power Corp. (NPC) in November 1978. It consists of Unit 1, which has a rated capacity of 150 MW; Units 2 and 3, each with 200 MW; and Unit 4, which is rated at 300 MW.
The Sucat plant was formerly known as the Gardner Snyder Thermal Plant, and officially began commercial operations on August 1, 1968 with the completion of Unit 1.
Units 2-4 followed operations after their construction in 1970, 1971, and 1972, respectively.