Business Mirror
Published on Tuesday, 16 October 2012 19:31 Written by Paul Anthony A. Isla / Reporter
THE Metrobank Group-led Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC) said on Tuesday its subsidiary Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Formosa Heavy Industries (FHI) to look into the development of a power plant for Panay.
Under the MOU, GBPC said, FHI will study and finalize the reconfiguration of its current expansion plans in Panay into a single 150-MW unit instead of having two 82-MW power units.
GBPC said the memorandum amends the option agreement signed in March for the construction of additional units in Panay, along with the engineering, procurement and construction contract for an 82-MW unit in Toledo to supply Carmen Copper Corp., which is now ongoing.
GBPC said the first of the two 82-MW power units in Panay is supposed to be completed in late 2014, but the growing economic activity on the island warrants the construction of a single larger plant of 150 MW that can reduce PEDC’s generation charges to its existing customers.
GBPC said the cost benefits of a larger plant is in addition to substantial cost savings arising from the common facilities like jetty coal yard and water-treatment facilities for the existing units already completed in 2011, which can service the new plant.
“Since GBPC acquired the 72-MW diesel plant from the Lopez Group in 2003, we have been steady with our commitment to provide adequate, reliable and cost-efficient power supply to Panay,” said Francisco Sebastian, GBPC chairman.
He said the completion of the clean-coal technology last year has allowed the expansion in economic activity, improved the reliability of power supply, and reduced electricity costs by at least P3 per kilowatt-hour.
Sebastian said the construction of a third unit, especially larger, on the same site in LaPaz, Iloilo City, is a reflection of GBCP’s continuing commitment.
KH Wu, Formosa Heavy Industries president, signed the MOU as the provider of design, engineering, procurement and construction.
GBPC has 633 MW of coal and bunker-fired plants mainly on the islands of Panay and Cebu. It is a member of the GT Capital Group of Cos., of which Metrobank is the flagship company. source
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