Business Mirror
Published on Wednesday, 06 February 2013 20:00 Written by Lenie Lectura / Reporter
THE Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp. (Pasar) is in talks with interested power producers for the former’s plan to put up a 200-megawatt (MW) power plant in its Leyte property.
The country’s only copper smelter and refinery is in separate discussions with GN Power Ltd. of the Netherlands, GDF-Suez of Switzerland and Electricity Generating Public Co. Ltd. (Egco) of Thailand, a source said.
The talks are currently centered on which among the three power producers can tie up with Pasar for the said project. The contract allows for the supply of the power requirements of Pasar which needs 70 MW per day to support its refinery expansion.
The smelter churns out 215,000 metric tons per year (MTPY) of refined copper cathode. This is seen to increase to 270,000 MPTY if it increases capacity to process more copper.
Once an agreement is inked, a feasibility study is next in line, targeted to be completed in half a year.
The source said Pasar has already completed the grid impact study with the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.
Groundbreaking to start the project is expected in the fourth quarter of the year.
The Pasar plant complex currently occupies 80 hectares in the 424-hectare Leyte Industrial Development Estate.
GDF-Suez is a world’s leading supplier of energy and environmental efficiency services with a capacity of about 13,500 gigawatts, while GNPower is currently involved in various power projects in the country such as the 600-MW coal facility in Mariveles, Bataan.
Egco, on the other hand, is one of the largest independent power producers in Thailand. It controls a majority stake in Quezon Power Philippines Ltd., which operates a 460-MW coal plant in the province of Quezon. source
No comments:
Post a Comment