On-grid power capacity rises 2.6%

By Jed Macapagal - April 7, 2021
https://malaya.com.ph/index.php/news_business/on-grid-power-capacity-rises-2-6/

The country’s total installed on-grid power capacity grew by 2.6 percent as of end-2020 to 25,663 megawatts (MW) against 2019’s 25,006 MW, data from the Department of Energy (DOE) showed.

Based on total on grid capacity contribution, coal still dominated the power mix with a capacity reaching 10,944 MW from 10,417 MW. Its overall share went up to 42.6 percent from 41.7 percent.

Oil-based power plants followed with a total of 3,667 MW, a 2.7 percent decrease from 3,767 MW. Its overall share in the power mix slightly went down to 14.3 percent from 15.1 percent.

Closely trailing in third place is hydroelectric power with 3,749 MW, a 0.5 percent increase from the previous year’s 3,729 MW. Its overall share however declined to 14.6 percent from 14.9 percent.

Meanwhile, installed capacity from natural gas-fired power plants stayed at 3,453 MW but its overall share went down to 13.5 percent from 13.8 percent as the contribution of geothermal power plants were also unchanged at 1,928 MW with an overall share of 7.5 percent from 7.7 percent.

Biomass power plants recorded the most additional capacity as it totalled to 483 MW from 363 MW, a 33.05 percent change. Its share to the power mix also improved to 1.9 percent from 1.5 percent.

Capacity contribution of solar power plants, likewise grew by 9.8 percent to 1,012 MW from 921 MW paired with an increase in overall share at 3.9 percent from 3.7 percent as the total installed capacity of wind power plants remained stagnant at 427 MW and a share of 1.7 percent to the entire power mix.