Aboitiz Power studying use of seawater for power plant

Sunstar Davao

EXPERTS behind the proposed 300-megawatt (MW) circulating fluidized bed coal-fired power plant in southern Davao are seriously considering using seawater for the facility's requirements so as not to seriously disturb fresh water sources in the area.

Aboitiz Power Corp. vice president for Business Development Tommy Sliman said this plan is currently being studied by technical experts of the company who are also doing soil bearing tests on a 51-hectare property in Binugao, Toril, Davao City and Inawayan, Sta. Cruz town.

"This will cost us a little bit more but are willing to do it. We do not want to disturb our neighbors and their use of the water in the area," Sliman said.

Sliman said the proposed power plant will be located at the tail end of the fresh water sources near the sea and should not have a major impact on water sources.

He said, however, that the company is studying all possibilities to make sure the plant will not cause inconvenience.

"The desalinated water will supplement our water needs without seriously affecting the fresh water sources in the area," Sliman said. "This is part of Aboitiz Power's commitment to being a socially-responsible company. We want to be part of the communities where we are present."

The planned desalination facility will take seawater from Davao gulf and shoot it at high pressure through thick membranes to take impurities and salt out of the water. The result is pure fresh water that can be used for the power plant.

Sliman said the operation of the power plant is like boiling water in a kettle. Coal is used to boil water at high temperature and high pressure in order to create steam. Steam will, in turn, propel the turbine that will operate the generator to create electricity.

The steam is then cooled by another set of water, to bring it back to liquid form again. The same water is re-used and boiled to create steam again. Excess water will be used to water plants around the power plant or for flushing toilets. More excess water will be discharged after passing through a water treatment plant.

"We will just heat the water a little bit, cool it and return it to the sea," Sliman said.

Aboitiz Power Corp. 1st vice president Manuel "Bobby" Orig re-emphasized the need for the power plant considering Mindanao's fast economic growth. The power deficit is projected to go as high as 484-MW by 2014. As of the present, no new major power plant is being constructed to meet this growing demand.

He said Mindanao is too dependent on hydroelectric energy sources that when there is drought, the whole island goes into a power crisis. He said Mindanao must diversify its energy sources to ensure a reliable, safe and affordable power for all.

"We need to create a right mix of energy sources so that when we experience long droughts, Mindanao will have reliable and affordable power to propel its growth," Orig said.

Even with the circulating fluidized-bed coal-fired power plant, hydro power will continue to remain a major power source for Mindanao, he added.

He said while Southern Mindanao consumes more than half of the island's demand for power, only 20 percent of the total capacity is being generated here. This makes the region dependent on long transmission lines, which when damaged, isolates the region from its main power sources in the north.

Aboitiz Power is one of the country's biggest generators of renewable energy resources. In Mindanao, subsidiary Hedcor Inc. is constructing five run of river hydroelectric projects with a combined capacity of 55 MW.

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on March 01, 2011.