Steag resumes operation of Misamis coal power plant

By Danessa Rivera (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 9, 2016 - 12:00am

http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/03/09/1560874/steag-resumes-operation-misamis-coal-power-plant

MANILA, Philippines – Steag State Power Inc. (SPI) has resumed operations of one unit of its 2x105 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Misamis Oriental, bringing back much-needed supply to the Mindanao grid.

In a statement, SPI said the Misamis coal-fired power plant is now running at full capacity following the synchronization back to the Mindanao grid of Unit 1 over the weekend.

SPI conducted a two-day preventive maintenance last March 5 for its Unit 1, which was synchronized back to the Mindanao grid at around 10:17 pm on March 6, as planned.

As of 1 p.m. yesterday, data from the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) showed the Mindanao grid has a 62-MW power reserve.

Last month, SPI carried out its first preventive maintenance schedule for its power generating Unit 2.

SPI president and CEO Dr. Bodo Goerlich said earlier the initial preventive maintenance activities is the company’s strategy to ensure that the power plant is optimally available during the summer season.

 “We are carrying out the necessary preventive maintenance activities ahead of the summer season to ensure optimum availability of our capacity especially during the critical summer months when demand is at its peak while supply is historically at its low,” he said.

Since the start of its operation in November 2006, SPI’s power plant has delivered more than 12 billion kwh of power to the Mindanao grid and has sustained a high availability rating of 90 percent.

The power plant posted an average unplanned outage rate of 2.5 percent, way below its annual allowable unplanned rate allowance of 6.6 percent.

SPI is owned by German power producer Steag GmbH with local partners Aboitiz Power Corp. and La Filipina Uygongco Corp.