PNOC’s Negros geo-plant to power up Visayas in Feb

The geothermal arm of state-run Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) expects to start commissioning its $155 million North Negros Geothermal Plant in February, a project seen to bring billions of fresh revenues to the company. PNOC-Energy Development Corp. (PNOC-EDC), the agency tasked to administer and monitor the country’s oil and geothermal resources, said the 49-megawatt Negros plant will provide electricity to 800,000 households in the entire Negros Occidental and Panay Island. “The move would help address the projected power shortage in the Visayas region," PNOC-EDC said. The National Government could save $15 million in oil imports once the geothermal plant starts to operate, estimates from the agency showed. The plant, which is located at Sitio Pata-an, Bago City, Negros Occidental, is one of several geothermal facilities which PNOC-EDC expects to operate within the next five years. PNOC president Pedro A. Aquino Jr., in a recent interview, said civil works for the project have been more than 97% complete as of the end of last year. Accomplishment for the power plant construction stood at 90.51% and interconnection system at 98.55% as of end-September 2006, data from the agency showed. At present, northern Negros gets the bulk of its electricity requirements from the Palimpinon geothermal power plant in Negros Oriental. Aside from the North Negros plant, Mr. Aquino said PNOC-EDC has several other geothermal projects in the pipeline. The agency is scheduled to start commissioning in 2009 the 20-MW Nasulo geothermal plant in Negros Oriental and the 40-MW Tanawon geothermal plant in Sorsogon. For the Tanawon plant, Mr. Aquino said the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has already approved last year a feasibility study on the project but has asked EDC to submit a revised implementation program. For 2011, PNOC-EDC expects to launch two other geothermal facilities -- the 100-MW Southern Leyte geothermal plant which costs $353.74 million, to be put up in Cabalian, Southern Leyte and the 50-MW Mindanao 3 project amounting to $137.6 million to be put up in Cotabato. The project feasibility studies for Cabalian and Mindanao 3 have been submitted to NEDA for review and approval. A 40-MW Dauin geothermal project in Negros Oriental, which costs $143.57 million will be commissioned in 2012. The agency has already started the drilling of the first exploration well last year. Another project of PNOC-EDC that is expected to start commercial operations in 2012 is the 40-MW Kayabon in Albay with total cost of $149.4 million. The agency has already started the drilling of the first exploration well last year. -GMANews.TV