| By Donnabelle L. Gatdula (The Philippine Star) Updated December 03, 2010 12:00 AM |
MANILA, Philippines - First Gen Corp., the power generation arm of the Lopez Group, expects to put on stream the additional 150-megawatt (MW) capacity from its Bacon-Manito (BacMan) geothermal power plant by end-2011.
First Gen chairman and CEO Federico Lopez told reporters on the sidelines of the Renewable Energy Conference and Exposition Manila 2010 that they are rushing the rehabilitation of BacMan to be able to augment Luzon’s power needs next year.
BacMan’s the one we’re really rushing to make sure it comes online. Hopefully we can expand that to 150 MW. Our target is within an 18-24 month period,” he said.
He said the rehab project started last September. “Hopefully we can get it even by second half next year, just the rehab for BacMan.”
Earlier, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras urged existing power generating companies to speed up their respective rehabilitation programs to help alleviate the power shortage in the country.
“I have given two or three letters already to the companies who have bought government assets, pleading with them to accelerate the rehabilitation so they can bring back capacity to the installed capacities,” he said.
For 2011, it is expected that the country will need additional capacity of at least 300 megawatts (MW) and another 300 MW for 2012.
Specifically, Almendras said he had asked First Gen to fast-track their rehab of the power plants they have acquired from the government through the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM).
The energy chief was referring to the BacMan geothermal power complex, which is not operating, and the 100-MW Pantabangan hydroelectric power facility.
“Pantabangan is going to be up 120 MW soon. We’re assessing BacMan because it just got turned over so we’re assessing on what’s to be done,” Lopez said in an earlier interview.
Aside from the rehabilitation of existing power plants, Almendras said they are also eyeing to allow the government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) to put up diesel and gas-fired power plants.
First Gen chairman and CEO Federico Lopez told reporters on the sidelines of the Renewable Energy Conference and Exposition Manila 2010 that they are rushing the rehabilitation of BacMan to be able to augment Luzon’s power needs next year.
BacMan’s the one we’re really rushing to make sure it comes online. Hopefully we can expand that to 150 MW. Our target is within an 18-24 month period,” he said.
He said the rehab project started last September. “Hopefully we can get it even by second half next year, just the rehab for BacMan.”
Earlier, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras urged existing power generating companies to speed up their respective rehabilitation programs to help alleviate the power shortage in the country.
“I have given two or three letters already to the companies who have bought government assets, pleading with them to accelerate the rehabilitation so they can bring back capacity to the installed capacities,” he said.
For 2011, it is expected that the country will need additional capacity of at least 300 megawatts (MW) and another 300 MW for 2012.
Specifically, Almendras said he had asked First Gen to fast-track their rehab of the power plants they have acquired from the government through the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM).
The energy chief was referring to the BacMan geothermal power complex, which is not operating, and the 100-MW Pantabangan hydroelectric power facility.
“Pantabangan is going to be up 120 MW soon. We’re assessing BacMan because it just got turned over so we’re assessing on what’s to be done,” Lopez said in an earlier interview.
Aside from the rehabilitation of existing power plants, Almendras said they are also eyeing to allow the government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) to put up diesel and gas-fired power plants.
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