Mindanao power spot market opens in August for pre-trial
THE ENERGY department’s Interim Mindanao Electricity Market (IMEM) is expected to be launched in August as a pre-trial operation at a time when the island is projected to hit another deficit of about 100 megawatts (MW).
In a briefing, Clares Loren Jalocon, IMEM project manager, said infrastructures worth P34 million have been laid out to jumpstart the operation of the IMEM, which will serve as spot market where available but un-contracted capacities from embedded generators of distribution utilities and other independent sources will be sold.
“We expect to have 150 MW to 200 MW available [for trade] by that time. We have enough resources to start IMEM,” Mr. Jalocon told journalists on Tuesday.
The full operation of the Mindanao electricity market system will start in September, based on the timeline of the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. (PEMC), which operates the wholesale electricity spot market, or WESM, for Luzon and the Visayas.
The IMEM office will be set up in Cagayan de Oro City.
The idea of establishing the IMEM was floated during the Mindanao Power Summit last year, when President Benigno S. C. Aquino III asked the Energy department to create mechanisms that would augment power supply on the island.
The IMEM was conceptualized to provide an immediate venue for the transparent and efficient utilization of additional capacities to address Mindanao’s energy supply shortfall.
In the first half of this year, Mindanao has reached close to 500 MW deficiency, leading some areas such as Zamboanga City and General Santos City to suffer five to eight hours of blackouts a day.
Since last week, however, the grid’s power supply has been at a surplus. Based on the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines’ Web site, the Mindanao grid on Tuesday had a 164 MW surplus, with an estimated supply of 1,351 MW and demand of 1,187 MW.
Among the expected electricity sellers under the IMEM are some large companies that qualify under the interruptible loading program and a few electric cooperatives which have excess power. Examples are big shopping mall operators in Davao City that have their own power generator sets. These companies could sell their power to local electric cooperatives via the IMEM.
Davao City, however, has not been affected by the power deficiency in the main grid since its distribution utility has its own embedded power generator, thus making it easier for private companies to sell excess power.
Mr. Jalocon said registration among sellers and buyers is now taking place.
The IMEM manager said his group is just waiting for a tripartite group composed of the Energy department, PEMC, and the Energy Regulatory Commission to finalize the pricing schedule and the price cap.
The IMEM would have the same function as WESM and would also have its own governance committee “to monitor the market, and the enforcement and compliance officer who will investigate breaches to the rules,” Mr. Jalocon said.
The establishment of IMEM will come when Mindanao is expected to again suffer a deficiency instead of the surplus it is enjoying now.
Romeo M. Montenegro, director for Investment Promotions, International Relations and Public Affairs of the Mindanao Development Authority, has said that the island will have at least 100 MW deficiency starting in August because the 200 MW from STEAG State Power, Inc., one of the biggest providers of electricity in Mindanao, will undergo maintenance work. The deficiency will last until the end of the year, he said.
Mr. Jalocan said that with the IMEM, Mindanao power cooperatives may augment their contracted power agreements with the National Power Corp. as well as with independent power providers. — Darwin T. Wee
PSALM seeks ERC approval on agreements with Visayas utilities
The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) is seeking the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) approval on the letters of agreement (LOA) that will set legal justification on its continuous supply of power to private distribution utilities and electric cooperatives in the Visayas grid.
The LOAs serve as extension of the transition supply contracts (TSCs) of PSALM with these power utilities; of which duration already lapsed December last year.
The company sought that, on the strength of the LOAs, it was able to stretch the duration of its supply of power to these utilities from December 26, 2012 to June 25, 2013.
The agreements have been with 20 electric cooperatives in Antique, Biliran, Cebu I and II; Central Negros; Don Orestes Romualdez; Eastern Samar; Iloilo II and III; Leyte II, III, IV and V; Negros Occidental; Negros Oriental I; Northern Samar; Samar I and II; Visayan Electric Company and VMC Rural Electric Coop.
“It is prayed that a provisional authority be issued authorizing PSALM to implement the subject LOAs with the concerned DUs in the Visayas grid,” the company has stated in its petition to the ERC.
It has been explained that the LOAs were executed between the parties “in cases of changes in the provisions of the CSEE (contract for the supply of electric energy) other than the terms and conditions appearing in the template for the TSC.”
These changes, it was further noted, could include duration of the CSEE or TSC and the monthly contracted energy.
PSALM, in its filing though, has emphasized that the terms and conditions of the previous CSEE/TSC “remain applicable, and have not been changed by these subsequent LOAs.”
Nevertheless, the company indicated that some applicable provisions of the contracts may be “deemed modified by the applicable WESM Rules.”
For the contract energy, it has been stipulated in the LOAs that “the customer shall nominate month-ahead its hourly and daily energy quantity requirements three days before the start of the next billing period.”
It was further prescribed that “on a day-to-day transaction, the customer shall confirm the schedule of hourly energy requirements to PSALM on the day ahead.”
Similarly, “PSALM shall declare to WESM the schedule of hourly energy requirements delivered to customers immediately on the day after.”
New Iloilo plant to supply Panay electric cooperatives
The 135-megawatt Iloilo coal-fired power plant being developed by local joint venture Palm Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC) is targeting off-take (power supply purchase) agreements with the electric cooperatives (ECs) in Panay Island to help them meet their electricity requirements around 2016.
This has gotten some boost after Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor made an appeal to the servicing electric cooperatives in the area, to “as early as now, Panay ECs should already reserve from PCPC,” stressing that “we want to make sure that the province will have sufficient power capacities by 2016.”
PCPC president Roel Z. Castro enthused that the company pushed its project to construction so it can cater to the sprouting businesses and growing economic activities in the island.
“We are pushing through with the project as planned and committed because we know and understand the power needs in Panay and the whole of Visayas especially by year 2016 when most of the newly constructed hotel chains, real estate complex and business hubs as well as other establishments are already operational,” he said.
Company chairman Walter W. Brown added that project sponsor PCPC will also be constructing “the corresponding transmission facilities needed so the generated power capacities of the Concepcion plant can be transmitted to the distribution utilities.”
Despite the abandonment of a major partner, project developers are out to prove they are unscathed when it issued last June 7 the “notice to proceed” for the project’s construction.
The turnkey contractor is the consortium of First Northeast Electric Power Engineering Corp. of China, Liaoning Electric Power Survey & Design Institute and Shenyang Electric Power Design Institute Co. Ltd.
The coal plant project’s supplier of steam turbine and generator will be European technology firm Alstom Power; while project management is placed under American-Canadian firm SNC Lavalin.
PCPC will be the corporate vehicle to implement the project. With the Ayala group leaving their fold, the company will just now be a joint venture between Palm Thermal Consolidated Holdings Corporation of the A. Brown Company, Inc. and Jin Navitas Resource Inc. of the Rebisco group.
“The target completion date of the project is by early 2016 which will be in time for the additional power supply requirements of the Visayas region,” the project firm has noted.
The plant which will be equipped with circulating fluidized bed combustion technology is targeted to be done with a second phase of another 135-MW capacity.
Back in 2004-2007, the Visayas grid was the first to suffer from supply shortages but new power investments poured into the area was able to reverse that condition.
Nevertheless by 2016, with exponential economic growth in various areas in the region, power supply in Visayas is seen reaching precarious levels once again, hence, investors are now advancing project plans to avert a portended crisis situation.
2 coal-fired plants given incentives
The Board of Investments (BOI) recently approved two coal-fired power projects of San Miguel Corporation worth P51 billion that will generate 300-megawatt power each plant in Davao del Sur and Bataan.
For its Davao del Sur plant, SMC Power Corporation (SMCPC) is constructing the P25.84-billion coal-fired power project at Barangay Culaman, Malita, Davao del Sur. Commercial operation is expected to start by December 2015. The project is expected to employ 214 personnel.
The project will augment the power requirements in Mindanao. According to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Power Development Plan 2010 to 2030, peak demand for electricity in Mindanao is expected to increase at an average annual growth rate of 4.2% until 2030. The DOE projects that power consumption in Mindanao will require an additional capacity of 550 MW on top of committed power projects by 2018.
The company will also build another P25.5 billion 300-MW coal-fired power project at Barangay Lamao, Limay, Bataan. The Bataan plant will contribute to the energy sufficiency goals for Luzon island. By 2014, the country is already in need of an additional 1,050 MW, according to the DOE. The Bataan plant is expected to start operation in 2016 with 214 people.
Both projects will initially import coal either from Indonesia or Australia during the commissioning and start-up operations. Coal samples from these countries have higher heating values compared to the local supply.
The firm, however, has committed to eventually utilize local coal coming from the Daguma coal mines which is owned by their affiliate San Miguel Energy Corporation (SMEC).
Power generation is listed under the energy sector category of the Investment Priorities Plan (IPP). The BOI is the lead agency tasked to implement the IPP under the provision of the E.O. 226. The IPP identifies priority sectors that can avail of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.
BOI-registered enterprises are granted up to four-year income tax holiday incentives.
300-kWh users facing RE impact
Majority of residential end-users within the 300-kilowatt hour (kWh) bracket of consumption will experience P5.40 monthly as impact on their electric bills with the targeted installation of 750 megawatts of renewable energy (RE) sources in the mix.
This has been based on the desk study outcome of German cooperation agency Deutsche Gessellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, which has assessed the cost impact of feed-in-tariff allowance (FIT-All) once implemented in 2016.
On a per kilowatt-hour basis, the impact will be P0.02, which is even lower than the earlier calculated FIT-All rate of P0.05 per kWh.
“A household consuming 300 kWh monthly would only need to pay an additional P5.40 per month,” the GIZ study has stated.
The German cooperation agency added that “if the planned FIT regime for 750MW of RE becomes effective, it will add only P0.02 per kWh to the electricity bill.” This has already been based on the average cost impact across all RE technologies, including wind, solar, biomass and run-of-river hydro.
For the Philippines, GIZ similarly emphasized that RE prices will be highly-competitive in island mode areas or those not directly connected to the grid.
“Average island electricity prices are higher than for mainland grids. This makes RE competitive for mini-grids,” it said.
The study established that about 30-percent of all households are not connected to the grid, adding that “for these unviable areas, renewables are cost competitive alternative to costly diesel generators.”
Given the subsidized rates in off-grid areas, “the difference between true costs of diesel generation and actual electricity selling rates needs to be bridged by a universal charge for missionary electrification (UCME) paid by every electricity consumer,” the study said.
It was further explained that “the UCME leads to estimated costs of P7.68 billion in 2013 or 11.85 centavos per kWh.”
The GIZ expounded that “true diesel power generation costs in off-grid areas are between 13 and 20 centavos, and can even reach 28 centavos in some areas.”
The UCME is being passed on to electricity consumers and collected by state-run National Power Corporation (NPC) and remitted to its successor-firm Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation. After which, the collected amounts will be utilized to subsidize the rates in off-grid areas.
Shell finalizing LNG investments this year
A final investment decision (FID) is being anticipated by Shell Philippines to be issued this year by its Netherlands-based principals for the planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal in Batangas.
Shell Philippines vice president Roberto S. Kanapi indicated that the project will take off soon and that the FID will be the turning point for the proposed project’s implementation.
“We are expecting to get FID (for the LNG terminal project) within this year,” the company executive said, noting that the feasibility study underpinning the planned investments is about to be concluded.
Shell signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Philippine government on its LNG investments during President Aquino’s visit in London around June last year.
The company has not given any amount as to the scale of its capital outlay for the proposed facility, but the numbers crunched could reach a whopping amount of $1.0 billion or even higher.
According to the Department of Energy (DOE), Shell’s plan is to build LNG terminal that could strategically cater to all end-users, including power plants as anchor loads.
Kanapi said the company “will start with a certain volume and we will just expand as demand increases.”
He also noted previously that the “break bulk” technology for LNG would allow smaller scale of power project installations, thus, the conventional capital-intensive developments can be avoided.
Shell was among the prospective LNG suppliers which signed up with Manila Electric Company’s (Meralco) power generation subsidiary for its proposed gas-fired power facilities.
Based on Meralco’s investment blueprint, it has been casting LNG-fed power plant projects of 1,500 to 1,700 megawatts and these are targeted on stream from 2017 onwards.
Meralco though is not the only targeted gas purchaser of Shell; with the oil firm’s officials openly stating that they are also in negotiations with other companies.
The other aggressive player in the power industry with gas portfolios is First Gen Corporation. The Lopez firm has so far laid down plans of putting up LNG re-gas facility that will be integrated with its proposed gas-fired power projects.
Basic Energy sets up Indonesian firm
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange yesterday, Basic Energy said the Grandway Group has received the endorsement of Indonesia’s Ministry of Law and Human Rights on the establishment of PT Basic Energy Solusi, the foreign investment company of the Grandway Group.
PT Basic Energy, based in Jakarta, Indonesia, will be the investment arm of the Grandway Group, for various business opportunities in the Southeast Asian country.
The company aims to provide consultancy, management and supervision services in the management of oil wells.
“It shall undertake certain aspects of the operations of oil wells, within the regulatory and social frameworks applicable in the identified oil field areas in Indonesia, using modern and chemical enhanced oil recovery technology to unlock oil resources and thereby increase oil production of these oil wells,” Basic Energy said.
PT Basic Energy, which shall be owned up to 95 percent by the Grandway Group, in compliance with Indonesian laws, will pave the way for the identification of the various oil projects it will undertake in Indonesia, Basic Energy said.
Basic Energy and Petrosolve announced their partnership in February, saying this would allow both companies to expand their respective operations globally.
Basic Energy president Oscar de Venecia has said the partnership could be for projects within and outside the Philippines.
Petrosolve is a company registered in Malaysia and is engaged in the business of oil field services, including application of chemicals for increased oil production and the development of oil and gas fields and wells.
Basic Energy is a listed firm presently engaged in energy development, particularly oil exploration. It also has investments in petroleum projects including the exploration and development of contract areas situated in offshore and onshore Mindoro.
BOI okays incentives for San Miguel coal plants
MANILA, Philippines – The Board of Investments (BOI) has approved incentives for two coal power plant projects worth P51.34 billion of the San Miguel group.The plants, with capacity of 300 megawatts (MW) each, are located in Davao del Sur and Bataan, and will be operated by San Miguel Consolidated Power Corp. (SMCPC).
SMCPC is constructing a P25.5 billion power plant in Lamao, Limay, Bataan that will be operational by 2016 and will employ around 214 personnel.
The Bataan plant will boost energy supply in Luzon.
The P25.84-billion power plant in Culaman, Malita, Davao del Sur, on the other hand, is expected to start operations by end-2015. It will also employ 214 people.
The Davao del Sur plant is aimed to address the power requirements of Mindanao.
According to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Power Development Plan from 2010 to 2030, peak demand for electricity in Mindanao will grow by average annual growth of 4.2%.
The department projects Mindanao will require an additional 550 MW on top of the committed power projects by 2018. The country, meanwhile, will need an additional 1,050 MW of power by 2014.
The San Miguel plants will import high-quality coal either from Indonesia or Australia during commissioning and start-up operations.
The group will eventually use local coal coming from the Daguma coal mines, owned by affiliate San Miguel Energy Corp. in their continuing operations.
The convergence activity is qualified in the preferred activities under the Energy sector category of the Investment Priorities Plan (IPP).
The BOI is the chief agency tasked to implement the IPP under a provision of Executive Order 226 or the Omnibus Investments Code. The IPP identifies priority sectors that can avail of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives. – Rappler.com
DoE to speed up RE application process
THE DEPARTMENT of Energy (DoE) will hasten the approval of applicants that are interested in developing renewable energy (RE).
At present, about 150 RE project applications are pending at the DoE, the bulk of which involves hydropower. Mr. Marasigan said the department hopes to assess and study all the applications with regard to augmenting the country’s electricity supply as well as transportation that would reduce the emission of carbon dioxide gas.He said one of the measures is to streamline the number of signatories that are needed for companies applying for the approval of RE projects. In the current system, a company needs at least 100 signatories for it to have the green light to operate.
However, Mr. Marasigan said that compared with companies that are into oil and coal, the process of REs’ approval is still faster. “REs are still fast in getting the requirement,” he said, adding that with streamlining, RE applicants could get approval within a year.
RE is derived from fossil fuel alternatives such as water, wind, solar power, and geothermal power, to name a few.
In Mindanao, more than half of the grid’s supply comes from state-owned hydropower plants.
For Mindanao alone, which suffered from long power shortages for much of the first half of the year, the DoE, the Mindanao Development Authority, and international donors are conducting an inventory study on hydropower. The study aims to identify other areas in the southern Philippines that are suitable for hydropower plants.
Mr. Marasigan said his group is also coming up with a vulnerability assessment study on RE because availability is affected or influenced by human activities and climate change.
“We are collaborating with the Climate Change Commission on this aspect,” he said.
The DoE’s new tack in focusing its programs on green energy has come amid complaints by environmentalist groups.
Anna G. Abad, climate and energy campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, told BusinessWorld of impressions that the government’s RE promotion has been weak, while coal- and diesel-fed power plants are being allowed to come in.
There is a “conflicting direction” within the government with regard to finding energy sources, she said. “Because on one hand, you have the national renewable energy plan that seeks to increase the renewable energy supply by threefold or 15 MW by 2020. On the other hand, the Energy department is pushing for more coal-fired power plants in the country,” she said.
Greenpeace recently released a study on the benefits of RE. “Renewables — as opposed to coal and other fossil fuel industries — typically have a relatively high labor intensity, which means they spend more on hiring people; have a higher domestic content than conventional fossil fuel sectors in the Philippines; and often produce higher-value, better paying, cleaner, healthier jobs than the fossil fuel industry does,” the study said.
As for revenues, the report data showed that geothermal power — considered a mature industry in the Philippines — has saved the government over $7 billion since 1977.
The report also said that the Philippines has the natural resources to propel itself as an RE leader in Southeast Asia.
Ms. Abad said that although it is “a good sign” that the government approved the feed-in tariff rate for RE in July last year, there are still “mechanisms that have yet to be approved that is delaying the full enforcement and implementation of the RE law.”
“I believe there is a lot foot-dragging and bureaucratic process hindering the implementation of law. That is why they are using this opportunity in the pushing for coal because it is easier for them that way,” she said.
The present feed-in tariff rates approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission for RE are: P5.90 per kilowatt hour (kWh) for run-of-river hydro; P6.63 per kWh for biomass, P8.53 for wind; and P9.68 for solar. — Darwin T. Wee
EDC proceeds with joint venture, implements four agreements
LISTED ENERGY Development Corp. (EDC) has taken the next step in its partnership with Canada-based Alterra Power Corp. through the execution of shareholders’ agreements for four geothermal power projects in Chile and Peru.
Last May 20, the two companies executed a joint venture agreement for the exploration and development of the Mariposa geothermal power project in Chile and three projects in Peru, identified as Tutupaca Norte, Loriscota and Crucero.EDC further said that under the shareholders’ agreement for the Mariposa project, its wholly owned subsidiary in Chile will acquire a 70% interest in Compañia De Energia (ENERCO), a subsidiary of Alterra who owns the Mariposa project.
“Alterra will continue to hold a 30% interest in ENERCO through its wholly owned subsidiary Magma Energy Chile Limitada, subject to the terms of the Shareholders’ Agreement for the Mariposa Project,” the company noted.
On the other hand, the terms of each shareholders’ agreements for the projects in Peru provide that a new company will be incorporated for each project, which will be responsible for developing the geothermal assets.
The company said that each Peruvian project will be owned by EDC’s wholly owned unit in Peru and “30% owned by Magma Energia Geotermica Peru S.A.,” which is another wholly owned subsidiary of Alterra.
“EDC’s continued participation in the Peruvian Projects and the Mariposa Project is subject to EDC’s resource assessment of each of the projects in accordance with the terms of the Project Agreements,” the Lopez-led company said.
In October last year, EDC signed an agreement with Alterra to allow the Lopez-led company to conduct exploration field works and due diligence at Alterra Power’s geothermal concession in Chile and geothermal authorizations in Peru.
The agreement gave EDC an “option to advance the projects to joint venture stage.”
Alterra Power, according to its Web site, is a renewable energy company that operates six power plants with an aggregate capacity of 567 megawatts (MW) in Canada, Iceland and Nevada in the United States.
In April, EDC and its Australian partner, Hot Rock Ltd. (HRL), formed a joint venture company that will undertake geothermal resource exploration in Peru.
The two companies established Geotermica Quellaapatcheta Peru SAC “for EDC and HRL to jointly own and develop the Quellaapacheta Authorization (project).”
The new company was formed under a joint venture agreement between EDC and HRL and a shareholders’ agreement between EDC Geotermica and Hot Rock Peru S.A.
EDC currently operates 12 power facilities in five geothermal service contract areas in the country, including the 192.5-MW Palinpinon plant in Negros Oriental and 112.5-MW Tongonan plant in Leyte. It is also involved in hydropower generation through First Gen Hydro Corp., which operates the 132-MW Pantabangan-Masiway plant in Nueva Ecija.
The company’s net income dropped by 5.24% to P2.98 billion in the first quarter from P3.15 billion in the same period last year. Its revenues decreased by 2.53% to P6.94 billion from P7.12 billion, while cost of sales of electricity slipped by 6% to P2.19 billion from P2.33 billion.
EDC shares gained five centavos or 0.84% to close at P6 apiece yesterday. — Claire-Ann Marie C. Feliciano
Power crisis fears unnerve industry in booming Philippines
(Reuters) – An electricity outage that blacked out large swathes of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon for up to eight hours last month has highlighted worries about a potential power crisis that could undermine Asia’s fastest-growing economy.
Predictions that electricity demand will outstrip government forecasts have raised fears over the impact on the expansion of industries such as call centres, tourism and gaming.
A raft of private firms has rushed in recent months to put some $9 billion of new plants on the drawing board, but lead times for construction are around three years and environmental opposition to coal-fired plants is already sparking delays.
“Power plants will be put up, the only question is will they be put up fast enough to meet the demand,” said John Forbes, a consultant with the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.
The country is riding high, posting annual growth of 7.8 percent in the first quarter and having its credit rating raised to investment grade by Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings. But power supply is seen as the biggest infrastructure challenge as President Benigno Aquino drives rapid growth.
Just one major power plant has been added in the past 10 years in the industrial and commercial heartland of Luzon, where many were built during the last electricity crisis 20 years ago.
The southern region of Mindanao is facing blackouts until 2015.
“We are talking about long-gestation projects. If no new power plants are built, by 2016 we are in for a big problem,” says Sergio Ortiz-Luis, president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation.
The call centre industry, which employs 600,000 workers, is aiming to grow at 15 percent a year for revenue of $15 billion by 2016, said the Philippines Contact Centre Association.
“That will be difficult to meet if a power crisis hits us,” cautioned Jojo Uligan, the lobby group’s executive director.
GENERATING CAPACITY
The Philippines’ total generating capacity is projected to reach about 15,300 MW this year and the country needs additional capacity of 2,500 MW in the four years to 2017, according to the Department of Energy’s latest plans.
Luzon, which accounts for about three-quarters of the country’s total capacity, will require an additional 1,600 MW by 2017, the DOE says, more than its own estimate of up to 1,130 MW due to come on stream from new projects.
However, the Philippine Independent Power Producers Association industry group says Luzon will require some 3,280 MW by 2017 – double the government’s estimate.
The association says the Philippines as a whole will require at least 3,860 MW, as the economy is growing faster than anticipated and demand is rising more quickly.
The Philippines’ biggest conglomerates such as Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc, Ayala Corp and San Miguel Corp are among those eager to build power plants or increase the capacity of existing facilities over the next five years.
Projects currently on the drawing board or being touted by private companies total around 4,400 MW up to 2018, including some from new entrants to the industry.
But many of these projects are likely to face delays, either from environmental opposition to coal generation – the quickest plants to build and the cheapest to operate – or as proponents wait for power consumers to commit to off-take agreements.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Manila Electric Co, or Meralco, the country’s largest power utility, is leading a consortium that is building a $1.2 billion 600 MW coal-fired power project in Subic Freeport Zone northwest of Manila.
It has delayed by a year its original 2016 target for the plant’s commercial operation, the company’s President Oscar Reyes told Reuters, because of a legal case relating to environmental concerns.
Another coal-fired project in Luzon, a planned 400-MW capacity increase for a 735-MW plant owned by Aboitiz Power and partner Marubeni Corp of Japan, is also facing resistance. An upgrade announced in 2011 has yet to start.
Companies looking to build new plants are also worried about committing to projects without guaranteed long-term industrial buyers. Users, however, are eyeing the rash of interest in the sector and are wary of signing fixed-price long-term agreements, further delaying any development.
“If you notice, everyone’s planning to move into the power business,” Ramon Ang, president of San Miguel, the country’s biggest power producer, said recently.
Government energy officials say Luzon should have sufficient power supply up to 2016, despite ongoing blackouts in the southern Mindanao region.
“Shortage, I don’t think so. Not in Luzon, not yet,” Energy Department undersecretary Ramon Allan Oca told Reuters, although he declined to comment past 2016.
Power suppliers are not so sure. And they warn reliance on older plants that need more maintenance will simply mean even more outages.
“Businessmen in Mindanao are suffering,” said Ortiz-Luis of the exporters’ group. “In Luzon, although there seems to be enough reserves, soon enough those reserves will be eaten up unless there are alternatives.” (Reporting by Erik dela Cruz; Editing by Rosemarie Francisco and Richard Pullin)
Power deficit stalls regional growth
“Going forward, a major challenge that could hamper regional development, particularly in Mindanao, is the lack of adequate supply of electricity that threatens various economic activities,” the central bank said in its latest “2012 Report on Regional Economic Developments.”It said the presence of different crop and livestock diseases and infestations in the regions also posed risks to the country’s food self-sufficiency plan and the livelihood of agriculture-dependent communities.
It said extreme weather conditions as a result of climate change was a significant issue in the regions, especially those that are heavily reliant on agriculture.
It said, though, that regional development was expected to benefit from the government’s various infrastructure improvement and development programs.
“Tourism will remain a key factor in regional economic activity. Hotel and resort constructions and expansions, as well as improved transportation services are expected to boost further the tourism industry across the regions,” the report said.
It also cited the earlier projection of the Philippine Constructors Association that the growth of the construction industry would accelerate to 8 percent this year on the back of sustained low inflation and interest rates.
“The surge in public construction investment in 2012, which was supported by the government’s increased infrastructure expenditures, provided momentum to the industry for 2013,” the report said.
It said the expansion of the business process outsourcing industry, sustained increase in emerging industries, remittances and the public-private partnership program would help propel the growth of the construction sector.
The report attributed the increase in private construction projects to higher demand for real estate and housing by migrant Filipino workers, as well as expansions in tourism and business establishments.
“An uptick in the number of approved building permits were seen in Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Central Mindanao and Bicol. Higher residential building construction starts were also observed in most of these regions,” it said.
The report noted that the National Capital Region, in terms of bank service availability as of end-December 2012, had the highest number of banks relative to the total number of cities/municipalities under its jurisdiction with a density ratio of 176.06.
Following the NCR were Calabarzon and Central Luzon with density ratios of 9.90 and 7.50, respectively.
The Bangko Sentral considers the analysis of regional trends and developments as valuable inputs in monetary policy formulation and financial supervision.
The report tracks economic developments in the regions, focusing on demand and supply conditions, monetary and price developments as well as the emerging economic outlook. It also helps confirm the results of the business and consumer expectations surveys conducted by the central bank.
BSP urges gov’t to address infra, power problems
MANILA, Philippines – Problems in infrastructure and high power rates should be addressed by the government if it wants economic growth to be felt across the country, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said in a report.
“The government’s various infrastructure improvement and development programs across the country are expected to invigorate economic activities and revitalize business in the regions,” the central bank said.
“A major challenge that could hamper regional development is the lack of adequate supply of electricity that threatens various economic activities,” it said.
The country should also be prepared for weather disturbances, which could hit agriculture-led regions that rely heavily on crops for livelihood, the report also noted.
The economy grew 6.8 percent last year, one of the fastest in Asia, driven mainly by domestic demand and low interest environment. The latest growth figure was up from 3.9 percent in 2011.
According to the report, agriculture, industry and services all posted growth rates last year, with different regions leading per each sector.
The industry sector, meanwhile, was led by the Calabarzon region, which cornered more than a third of the segment. It was followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) and Central Luzon.
For the services sector, the NCR accounted for more than half, at 51.8 percent, of the total service activity nationwide, BSP said.
According to the central bank, growth rate in palay production accelerated last year, which offset a slowdown in corn production across the regions. Central Luzon continued to lead in the two segments.
Fisheries, on the other hand, was a major setback, with the sector contracting 2.3 percent last year led by a slump in activities in Cagayan Valley Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Region IV-B and Region VIII or Eastern Visayas.
Construction activity, meanwhile, remained resilient due to a hike in government spending. Top regions on this segment were Region IV-A, NCR and Northern Mindanao.
“The weak performance of some regions in Mindanao was attributed to the inadequate power supply leading to prolonged brownouts,” the BSP said.
Power to the people
- IT is crucial for the Philippines to accelerate infrastructure development to further boost economic growth in the next three years, according to economists. And such development should really prioritize power-generation projects, as the economy will screech to a halt without a stable power supply.
The lack of an adequate power supply, which inevitably leads to high power rates, is one of the reasons the Philippines has yet to convince more foreign investors to come in. We actually lag behind our neighbors in terms of attracting foreign direct investments.
In fact, Mindanao is now bearing the brunt of woefully inadequate power supply, with some areas experiencing between two and eight hours of blackouts daily, adversely affecting productivity and causing considerable business losses.
The bright spot in the power sector is that a number of power-generation projects are in the pipeline that would ensure sufficient power supply in the years ahead.
The Board of Investments has approved two power projects of San Miguel Consolidated Power Corp. The projects, comprising an aggregate capacity of 600 megawatts, are the P25.84-billion, 300-MW coal-fired power plant in Davao del Sur; and the P25.5-billion, 300-MW plant in Bataan. The projects, which will receive income-tax holidays and duty-free importation of capital equipment under the government’s Investment Priorities Plan, will start commercial operations in 2015 and 2016, respectively, using coal from Indonesia or Australia.
Up for approval by the Department of Energy, meanwhile, are new wind- and solar-power projects that will boost renewable-energy (RE) development and curb the country’s reliance on imported oil. New applications for solar- and wind-power generation could bring RE potential capacity to 308.5 MW for wind and 60 MW for solar.
Among the wind projects are those of the Energy Development Corp. (87-MW wind farm in Burgos, Ilocos Norte), Alternergy Wind One Corp. (67.5-MW Pililla wind power project in Rizal), Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. (54-MW wind farm in San Lorenzo, Guimaras), and PetroEnergy Resources Corp. (50-MW Nabas wind project in Aklan).
The solar-energy projects, on the other hand, are the Philippine Solar Farm-Leyte Inc.’s 30-MW solar project in Ormoc, Leyte, and another 30-MW solar project in Luzon that may start commercial operations by January 2015.
The private sector deserves credit for initiating power-generation projects aimed at making the country self-sufficient in energy. Mindanao’s current energy crunch should be a wake-up call for us to accelerate efforts at ensuring ample power supply as the country tries to sustain economic growth in the years ahead.
PASIG CITY (MindaNews/18 June) — The Interim Mindanao Electricity Market (IMEM) is on track to start its commercial operation in September when brownouts are expected to hit the island anew, officials said Tuesday.
Clares Jalocon, IMEM project manager, said the electricity market in Mindanao will start trial operations on August 26 with the commercial operation set on September 26, or a month-long trial period.
“We are expecting 150 to 200 megawatts (MW) to be made available to the IMEM once it starts operation as per advice by the DOE (Department of Energy),” he told reporters.
Power generating companies shall provide such supply for the interim electricity spot market in excess of their contracted volume with the distribution utilities, Jalocon added.
He noted that the supply expected to be initially sold at the IMEM does not include potential voluntary load facilities, or commercial companies with their own generator sets, which have a combined volume of
Jalocon said the DOE is also pushing the acquisition of diesel-fed modular generator sets by electric cooperatives as another immediate measure to address Mindanao’s power problem.
It would take three to four years to build a large power plant to solve the power problem of the island.
Romeo Montenegro, Mindanao Development Authority director for investment promotion and public affairs, said that brownouts will be back in parts of Mindanao starting August due to the scheduled preventive maintenance shutdown of power plants in the island.
“There will be supply shortage until December due to the scheduled preventive maintenance of the lone coal plant and oil-based and hydropower plants,” he said.
He said that the 208-MW Steag State Power Inc. is slated to shut down one of its two plants one after the other that would take away 104 MW at a time from the Mindanao grid.
Based on his presentation on Mindanao’s power situation, Montenegro said that the island currently gets most of its supplies from the Agus and Pulangi hydropower plants operated by the state-owned National Power Corp. at 710 MW and 445 MW at the most from diesel-fed sources when the Iligan Diesel Power Plant runs at full capacity in October.
Montenegro noted that there are immediate solutions to address the deficit in the coming months, among them the rehabilitation and uprating of the Agus and Pulangi plants by 50 to 100 MW, the Interruptible Load Program pushed by the DOE, the reopening of the 100-MW Iligan Diesel Power Plant, and the acquisition of modular generator sets by the distribution utilities.
He urged distribution utilities and the local government units not to be complacent when the area does not suffer from interruptions, noting they should take actions to ensure that the situation would be sustained in a long-term basis.
The pending start of the IMEM will come even as some issues are still being threshed out regarding the participation of the Agus and Pulangi hydropower plants in the electricity market.
“These are the issues on the billing and settlement. Although these are well-defined in the IMEM rules, there might be some problems that may crop up in the actual implementation. That is why the trial operation is very important,” said Thelma Ejercito, DOE power planning and development division chief.
Ejercito, also the DOE focal person for IMEM, said that the interim electricity market “shall augment the power supply in Mindanao and will provide correction to real-time power imbalances that will occur.”
She e-mailed MindaNews that participation in the IMEM shall be mandatory for all generation companies connected to the Mindanao grid and that the capacity shall be on top of the bilateral contracts of the generation companies and the distribution utilities in the island.
The Philippine Electricity Market Corporation, a non-stock, non-profit corporation, will operate the IMEM, which will hold office in Cagayan de Oro City.
According to its primer, IMEM “is a venue for the transparent and efficient utilization of all available capacities in the Mindanao grid to meet the supply deficiency.”
Unlike the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) operating in Luzon and Visayas, the IMEM will be a day-ahead market and will address only the supply deficiency in the Mindanao grid.
“It intends to draw out all generation capacities including embedded generators in the grid to contribute to the supply in Mindanao. Further, it also intends to draw out voluntary load customers who are willing to curtail their load to lower the demand in the system,” the primer said.
By reasonably compensating embedded generators and voluntary load customers through a price determination methodology and cost recovery methodology approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission, it is envisioned that the supply and demand situation in Mindanao will improve until the entry of new capacities in Mindanao in 2015,” it added.
The IMEM will serve as a transition to the operation of WESM in Mindanao. (Bong S. Sarmiento/MindaNews)
Power lack in Mindanao among top PHL problems
The central bank’s 2012 report on regional economic developments released on Monday identified several economic opportunities and challenges in the regions across the country.
“A major challenge that could hamper regional development, especially for regions in Mindanao, is the lack of adequate supply of electricity that threatens various economic activities.… Furthermore, the prospect of extreme weather conditions as a result of climate change is a significant issue in the regions, especially those that are heavily reliant on agriculture. The timely implementation of infrastructure projects is, likewise, crucial in advancing regional development,” the central bank said in a statement.
Of the 17 regions in the country, 12 posted inadequate infrastructure as economic challenges, largely attributed to deficiency in transportation systems and the widespread power shortages in Mindanao.
The National Capital Region (NCR), along with Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Central Visayas and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), cited problems in traffic congestion, lack of land-based transportation facilities especially for goods, inadequate interconnectivity of island provinces as major factors that hampered economic growth last year.
Meanwhile, Bicol, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, the Davao region, Central Mindanao and
Soccsksargen, Caraga and the ARMM had major problems with power distribution citing high power rates, lack of other power sources, delays in the construction of power plants and insufficient and unstable power supply as factors that dampen economic growth in Mindanao. The Zamboanga peninsula reported the shortage of water supply as a key issue in the region.
Infrastructure-related projects of the government were largely beneficial to Central Luzon, having seven infrastructure development projects last year. These projects were targeted at improving the facilities of Clark International Airport, road and bridge constructions in Aurora, Pampanga and Central Bulacan, the proposed development of Angat Dam and the completion of the Central Luzon Expressway through parts of Tarlac to Nueva Ecija.
Several infrastructure development projects were cited as “opportunities” in the Cordillera Administrative Region), Cagayan Valley, Bicol, Calabarzon, Mimaropa I and Eastern Visayas.
Poverty-related issues, such as malnutrition and child labor also remain to be one of the top problems of regions across the country. According to the BSP’s report, poverty remains to be a top challenge in areas in NCR, Western Visayas and Bicol as higher incidences of malnutrition and child labor loom in the said areas.
In terms of agriculture, extreme weather conditions that bring about flooding or drought in certain areas largely affect productivity and economic growth in agriculture-dependent regions, such as Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, Zamboanga and Davao.
Other regions also cited pest-infestation, unregulated urbanization, forest degeneration and inadequate loans support as challenges to agriculture productivity.
The tourism sector, pending infrastructure improvements and entrepreneurial training are seen to boost economic growth, bringing opportunities to several regions nationwide.
“Identifying opportunities and challenges faced by the different regions enhances further the BSP’s forward-looking and proactive approach to monetary policy,” the BSP said.
EDC, Alterra all set for Peru, Chile projects
Energy Development Corp. (EDC) on Tuesday said that its shareholders, its joint venture partner and related units have signed on to four projects in Peru and Chile.
EDC of the Lopez group and its Canada-based partner, as well as their subsidiaries have executed four shareholders’ agreements and other related agreements for the implementation of the terms of a joint venture agreement covering the four projects, EDC said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange.
EDC and Alterra Power Corp. of Canada will jointly undertake the Tutupaca Norte, Loriscota, and Crucero geothermal projects in Peru. The companies will also tend to the Mariposa geothermal project in Chile.
Under the shareholders’ agreement for the Mariposa project, EDC (through a wholly owned subsidiary in Chile) will acquire a 70-percent interest in Compañía De Energia, an Alterra unit in Chile that owns the Mariposa project.
Alterra will continue to hold a 30-percent interest in Enerco through its wholly owned subsidiary Magma Energy Chile Limitada, subject to the terms of the shareholders’ agreement for the Mariposa project.
Under the terms of each agreement for a Peruvian project, a new project company will be incorporated in Peru and that unit will be responsible for developing the relevant Peruvian project.
Each Peruvian project company will be 70-percent owned by EDC (through its subsidiary in Peru) and 30 percent owned by Magma Energia Geotermica Peru S.A., a unit of Alterra.
EDC’s continued participation in the Peruvian projects and the Mariposa project is subject to its resource assessment of each of the projects in accordance with the terms of the agreements.
Alterra Power has already started exploration activities in Chile with some shallow drilling. EDC is set to complement earlier efforts with deep well drilling.
In late 2012, EDC signed an agreement with Alterra Power, in which the Lopez-led firm would conduct exploration fieldwork and due diligence at Alterra Power’s geothermal concession in Chile and those in Peru.
The completion of their agreement is subject to “fully termed documentation” and necessary regulatory approvals, EDC said. Riza T. Olchondra
More wind, solar projects eyed
7:59 pm | Monday, June 17th, 2013
DOE director for renewable energy Mario C. Marasigan told reporters at a recent energy industry forum that there were new applications for solar and wind power generation that could bring RE potential capacity to 308.5 MW for wind and 60 MW for solar.
Marasigan said the department issued recently a certificate confirming the declaration of commerciality of Philippine Solar Farm-Leyte Inc.’s 30-MW solar project in Ormoc, Leyte.
The “confirmation of commerciality” means the DOE is affirming the availability of adequate resources on site and the technical and commercial feasibility of the proposed wind project.
“We are processing one more application for a solar project and we will confirm its declaration of commerciality soon,” Marasigan said without identifying the applicant company.
The 30-MW project, if it pushes through, is expected to be built in Luzon and may be commercially operating by January 2015.
Also being processed is an application for a wind power project, Marasigan said, again without naming the applicant firm.
So far, the wind projects pre-qualified for FIT allocation are those of Energy Development Corp. (87-MW wind farm in Burgos, Ilocos Norte), Alternergy Wind One Corp. (67.5-MW Pililla wind power project in Rizal), Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. (54-MW wind farm in San Lorenzo, Guimaras), and PetroEnergy Resources Corp. (50-MW Nabas wind project in Aklan).
Regulatory affirmation allows RE developers to start construction. However, there is another layer of processing for applying for feed-in-tariff (FIT) allocation wherein selected RE providers will enjoy assured rates. Securing an allocation will make the RE power projects eligible for the FIT rate, a mechanism that will secure the developer of fixed cash flow over a 20-year period.
Marasigan said that the trend of applications showed that, contrary to initial skepticism that the DOE’s first-come, first-served policy on FIT allocation would discourage investments, the number of serious players committed to putting their RE projects into commercial operations and vying for FIT allocation continued to increase.
First Pacific keen on Angat plant
MVP confirms initial talks with Korean firm
Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., headed by businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan, confirmed that it was in talks with Korea Water Resources Corp. on a potential partnership involving the 246-megawatt (MW) Angat hydropower plant in Bulacan.
Pangilinan, who serves as managing director of First Pacific, said his group had spoken with officials of Korea Water.
“We visited Daejeon in Korea,” Pangilinan said on Friday, referring to the South Korean company’s headquarters. “They have not made a decision on which group to partner with.”
First Pacific is an investment holding firm controlled by Indonesia’s Salim family and whose investments are mainly located in the Philippines. Through local units, it has a controlling stake in Maynilad Water Services Inc., which supplies water to the west zone of Metro Manila and nearby provinces, and a 48-percent stake in Manila Electric Co., the country’s biggest electricity retailer.
First Pacific was among the interested groups when the Angat hydroelectric plant was auctioned in 2010.
At the time, it had partnered with rival Ayala Corp., which owns the Philippine capital’s east zone concessionaire Manila Water Corp., as well as the Lopez group in a joint bid against other players like San Miguel Corp., Consunji-led DMCI and the Aboitiz Group.
The state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) eventually announced that Korea Water submitted the highest bid of $440.8 million.
In May 2010, however, the Supreme Court issued a “status quo ante order” effectively blocking the planned privatization of Angat Dam’s hydroelectric power plant.
The high court only last year rendered as valid and legal the sale of the Angat power plant to Korea Water. But the plant has yet to be turned over as the government and Korea Water finalize certain details under a so-called water protocol.
Korea Water, the leading water resources and power firm in South Korea, signed last April its agreement to the water protocol governing the operations of the Angat hydropower plant. Both parties decided to “re-execute” the documents governing the sale of the facility to Korea Water because the Supreme Court required some changes in the documents.
However, no definite schedule was given for the turnover of the Angat facility.
Power firm all set to operate Sorsogon hydropower facility
Renewable energy developer Sunwest Water and Electric Co. (Suweco) hopes to operate the 600 kilowatt (KW) mini-hydropower plant in Sorsogon within the year.
“We are commissioning the project next week,” Suweco president Jose Silvestre M. Natividad said in a text message.
He said the hydropower facility track should be operational by August.
“We are negotiating with Soreco II (Sorsogon II Electric Coorperative) for the output of the facility,” Natividad added.
The P80-million Cawayan Upper mini-hydropower project is now 81-percent complete and may be commissioned this month. The facility is located in Barangay Guinlajon, Sorsogon City. The power plant is expected to generate 2.786 gigawatt per hour (GWH) each year.
In a statement, Suweco said the plant would contribute significantly to Sorsogon’s peak demand of 12.406 MW, based on the latest available demand data of Soreco II.
Suweco is responsible for the rehabilitation and development of the facility. The hydropower project is a joint venture of Suweco and Soreco II.
Suweco’s priority is to develop hydropower resources and help electric cooperatives rehabilitate and improve existing generating capacities, Natividad said.
“We develop projects regardless of size. We believe that, in unison, these small projects will provide a big contribution to our communities,” he said. Riza T. Olchondra
MINDANAO POWER CRISIS | ERC clears Alcantara Group’s
supply contracts with 4 electric coops
MANILA – The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved the power supply contracts between the Alcantara Group and electricity distributors in Mindanao.
In separate decisions, the ERC cleared the supply deals between Mapalad Power Corp and Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative Inc (Aselco), Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative Inc (Aneco), South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative Inc (Socoteco II) and Iligan Light and Power Inc (Ilpi).
Mapalad Power operates the Iligan diesel plant, which the company acquired from the Iligan City local government.
The company is a subsidiary of Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc, the listed holding firm of the Alcantara Group.
Mapalad Power’s diesel plant operates on a limited capacity, but would increase to 98.5 megawatts after the company completes a P1.2 billion rehabilitation project before yearend.
Based on the company’s supply deals with the cooperatives, the power plant will deliver 30 megawatts to Aselco, 15 megawatts to Aneco, 30 megawatts to Socoteco II, and 10 megawatts to Ilpi.
The three-year supply from Mapalad Power will allow the electricity distributors to reduce the incidence of hours-long power outages in their respective service areas.
Based on their petition before the ERC, daily power interruptions in Aneco’s franchise area last two to three hours. In Aselco, outages last four to five hours, while in Socoteco II and Ilpi, seven hours and 13 hours, respectively.
Customers would have to shoulder an increase in their electricity rates by the following projected amounts: P2.27 per kilowatt-hour for Aselco, P1.23 per kilowatt-hour for Aneco, P0.93 per kilowatt-hour for Socoteco II and P1.24 per kilowatt-hour for Ilpi.
Mindanao has been suffering from persistent power interruptions because of insufficient power generating capacity and its reliance on hydroelectric pplants for more than half of its electricity supply.
Though they offer the cheapest power source in the region, power from hydro plants are unstable since they depend on optimal weather and reservoir conditions.
The government expects Mindanao’s power woes to last until 2015 barring any delay in coal power projects in the pipeline.
DOE grants service contract to waste-to-energy plant in Rizal
Mario C. Marasigan, DOE renewable energy management bureau director, told InterAksyon.com that they have awarded a service contract (SC) to Green Alternative Technology Specialist Inc (GATSI) for the latter’s RDF plant.
“Using municipal solid waste, they will produce [RDF], which can be used by cement plants,” he said.
GATSI’s RDF plant is located in Rodriguez, Rizal.
The facility processes combustible municipal wastes such as plastic and biodegradable materials into RDF, a coal and fossil fuel substitute.
GATSI’s RDF plant is the first such facility registered with the DOE.
The plant has already been operating prior to the approval of its SC, supplying Solid Cement Corp with RDF for the past decade.
Marasigan said that with the SC granted to GATSI, the company would now be able to secure fiscal incentives under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008.
These incentives include an income tax holiday; duty-free importation of machinery, equipment and materials; special tax rates; zero value added tax; and tax credits, among others.
REFERENCES:
- – BOI okays incentives for San Miguel coal plants
- – Power projects of SMC units get BOI incentives
- – Mindanao power spot market opens in August for pre-trial
- – DoE to speed up RE application process
- – EDC proceeds with joint venture, implements four agreements
- – Power crisis fears unnerve industry in booming Philippines
- – Power crisis fears unnerve industry
- – Power deficit stalls regional growth
- – BSP urges gov’t to address infra, power problems
- – Power to the people
- – IMEM to start in September when brownouts are expected to be back
- – Power lack in Mindanao among top PHL problems
- – EDC, Alterra all set for Peru, Chile projects
- – More wind, solar projects eyed
- – First Pacific keen on Angat plant
- – Power firm all set to operate Sorsogon hydropower facility
- – MINDANAO POWER CRISIS | ERC clears Alcantara Group’s supply contracts with 4 electric coops
- – DOE grants service contract to waste-to-energy plant in Rizal
- – EDC seals deal in 4 geothermal prospects in Chile, Peru
- – PSALM seeks ERC approval on agreements with Visayas utilities
- – New Iloilo plant to supply Panay electric cooperatives
- – 2 coal-fired plants given incentives
- – 300-kWh users facing RE impact
- – Shell finalizing LNG investments this year
- – Basic Energy sets up Indonesian firm
POWERnEWS 