Aboitiz board clears expansion of Visayas, Mindanao power plants

Aboitiz Power Corp. is raising the generating capacity of two its coal-fired power plants in Visayas and Mindanao to provide more electricity supply in both Central and Southern Philippines.

 

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange Friday, the company said its board green-lit the construction of additional third units each for the Cebu and Davao coal projects.

 

Originally at 300 megawatts, the Cebu coal plant of subsidiary Therma Visayas Inc. will have a gross capacity of 510 MW after expansion. 

 

Therma South Inc., the corporate vehicle for the Davao coal project, will have a gross capacity of 470 MW from 300 MW.

 

"The notices to proceed for the additional units for both projects are expected to be issued by March 2015," the disclosure read.

 

The company, however, did not disclosure the rationale and cost for the expansion.

 

Last March, AboitizPower said it plans to more than double the capacity of Therma South, which was set start commercial operations in the first half of 2015, after securing approval from the Davao City Council.

 

Therma Visayas started building the power plant after it signed an engineering procurement and construction contract with Korean company Hyundai Engineering Co. Ltd. and local firm Galing Power Energy Co. Inc. last June.

 

The Visayas plant is expected to go online by the third quarter of 2017. – Danessa O. Rivera/VS, GMA News