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MANILA, Philippines - Target operation for Meralco’s Laguna Power Plant remains on track for 2012, according to Meralco president and chief executive Manuel V. Pangilinan.
In a recent briefing with newsmen, Pangilinan indicated that the fuel to be initially used for the combined cycle power plant would be “jet fuel, but convertible to natural gas as soon as it’s available.”
The power plant, located in Calamba, Laguna, according to Pangilinan, is a 120- to 150-megawatt peaking plant.
This means that the Laguna Power Plant would only be operated during peak hours or when electricity demand is high.
Pangilinan had assured that the electricity to be generated by the Laguna Power Plant would be cheaper than the electricity being sold at the Wholesale Electricity Sport Market or WESM.
Meralco has been seriously studying putting up its own power generating plants, targeting to generate up to 1,500 MW to lower its electricity costs.
The Laguna Power Plant is the first plant to be operated directly by Meralco since 1979, when the power utility firm’s assets where transferred to the National Power Corp. (Napocor) upon the orders of then President Marcos.
Meralco is also in talks with several firms – both local and foreign, for the construction of a base-load power plant.
Pangilinan confirmed that Meralco is in talks with local groups that include DMCI, the Aboitiz Group and even with SMC.
“It’s still under discussion,” Pangilinan said, adding that “Meralco earlier brought up the issue of partnerships with a number of local and foreign groups in the power generation sector, and one of them is DMCI, and probably with the Aboitizes and SMC also.”
DMCI Holdings president Isidro Consunji, who is also the concurrent president of Semirara Mining Corp. which fully owns Sem-Calaca Power Corp., had earlier said that it is in talks with Meralco either to build a new plant or for a joint venture to build another 600-MW plant in Calaca, Batangas.
However, Consunji said, if it does not reach a deal with Meralco on the planned Sem-Calaca plant, it could opt to go alone on the project as long as it has an off-taker for the power to be produced.
Consunji added that Meralco is also talking to Aboitiz and SMC.
Consunji further revealed that Meralco has adopted a new negotiating approach with independent power producers (IPPs) for the supply of power.
Before, Consunji said, Meralco only had to deal with Napocor.
However, Consunji said, since NPC sold its assets to different entities, the cost of power is now different since the economics of hydro, geothermal, diesel and coal are also different.
Consunji admitted “the mix of fuel and the demand we have is not ideal so power costs is expensive.”
In a recent briefing with newsmen, Pangilinan indicated that the fuel to be initially used for the combined cycle power plant would be “jet fuel, but convertible to natural gas as soon as it’s available.”
The power plant, located in Calamba, Laguna, according to Pangilinan, is a 120- to 150-megawatt peaking plant.
This means that the Laguna Power Plant would only be operated during peak hours or when electricity demand is high.
Pangilinan had assured that the electricity to be generated by the Laguna Power Plant would be cheaper than the electricity being sold at the Wholesale Electricity Sport Market or WESM.
Meralco has been seriously studying putting up its own power generating plants, targeting to generate up to 1,500 MW to lower its electricity costs.
The Laguna Power Plant is the first plant to be operated directly by Meralco since 1979, when the power utility firm’s assets where transferred to the National Power Corp. (Napocor) upon the orders of then President Marcos.
Meralco is also in talks with several firms – both local and foreign, for the construction of a base-load power plant.
Pangilinan confirmed that Meralco is in talks with local groups that include DMCI, the Aboitiz Group and even with SMC.
“It’s still under discussion,” Pangilinan said, adding that “Meralco earlier brought up the issue of partnerships with a number of local and foreign groups in the power generation sector, and one of them is DMCI, and probably with the Aboitizes and SMC also.”
DMCI Holdings president Isidro Consunji, who is also the concurrent president of Semirara Mining Corp. which fully owns Sem-Calaca Power Corp., had earlier said that it is in talks with Meralco either to build a new plant or for a joint venture to build another 600-MW plant in Calaca, Batangas.
However, Consunji said, if it does not reach a deal with Meralco on the planned Sem-Calaca plant, it could opt to go alone on the project as long as it has an off-taker for the power to be produced.
Consunji added that Meralco is also talking to Aboitiz and SMC.
Consunji further revealed that Meralco has adopted a new negotiating approach with independent power producers (IPPs) for the supply of power.
Before, Consunji said, Meralco only had to deal with Napocor.
However, Consunji said, since NPC sold its assets to different entities, the cost of power is now different since the economics of hydro, geothermal, diesel and coal are also different.
Consunji admitted “the mix of fuel and the demand we have is not ideal so power costs is expensive.”
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