7 firms eyeing Agus VI Uprating Project

Manila Bulletin 
By Myrna M. Velasco 
Published: August 29, 2013 
The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) is counting on the sustained interest of at least seven bidders for it to push forward the uprating of Units 1 and 2 of the Agus VI hydropower plant.
The company listed the interested parties as Alstom Philippines, China International Water and Electric Corporation, HydroChina Zhongnan-HEC-BSPJV; Kaltimex Energy Philippines, Inc., PHP Philippine Hydro Project Inc., Vicente T. Lao Construction and Zhejiang Fuchunjiang Hydropower Equipment Co. Ltd.
PSALM president Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. noted that the specified companies “have purchased the bidding documents and are currently conducting their due diligence on the project.” The power firm will tap a contractor for the Agus VI facility’s rehabilitation.
Ledesma stressed that until this point “other interested parties may still join this procurement project even until bidding day, as long as they purchase the bidding documents and submit the documentary requirements.”
The submission of bids has been slated by the state-run energy firm on September 30 this year, at 12 noon.
The facility’s rehabilitation and uprating had been earmarked a budget of P2.6 billion. The target will be to increase the generation of the facility’s units 1 and 2 from 25 megawatts to 34.5MW each.
From the award of the project, the contractor is given 900 calendar days or roughly two years-and-a-half to complete it.
PSALM noted that with the scheduled rehabilitation works, the economic life of the hydro plant can also be extended by another 30 years.
Under its auction terms, PSALM stipulated that the contract for the project “will include the investigation, design, engineering, manufacturing, installation, testing and commissioning of the new hydropower turbines and blades of the two Agus VI power units.”
The deal will similarly cover the “replacement of electrical equipment, materials and devices necessary for the safe and reliable operation of the power facilities.”
The rehab of the Agus VI plant was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board two years ago, but its implementation snagged because of proposed modification on the project’s financing.    source