Manila Bulletin
By: Myrna M. Velasco
Published: March 18, 2013
When the government finalizes the terms of reference, Austrian firm Andritz Hydro is keen on joining the bidding for the Unit VI rehabilitation of the Agus hydropower complex.
“Yes, we are interested. We are just waiting on when the government’s decision on the bidding would be,” Andritz Hydro Philippines general manager Albin Koenigshofer said.
The remaining major issue being hammered out on the hydro generating unit’s rehabilitation is the source of the project’s financing. The budget for it was set at P2.6 billion.
When it was first scheduled for auction, the plan was to toss fund sourcing to the private contractor. However, the government changed its mind when the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) suddenly offered to provide the financing.
It was learned from in interested parties then that the auction was cancelled just two days before the scheduled submission of offers.
Because of the revision in the financing arrangement, the project has been delayed again for another year. Hence, it is becoming a futile short-term solution for Mindanao’s worsening power supply woes.
Given the modified financing terms, National Power Corporation (NPC) president Froilan A. Tampinco has explained to media that they will have to go back to square one into seeking government approvals – starting with the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) of the National Economic and Development Authority until it reaches the NEDA Board chaired by President Aquino.
Only then that NPC would be able to issue the tender notice for them to finally move ahead with the auction onto tapping the contractor for the project.
The project blueprint stipulates that “the uprating must improve the generation of the unit to around 34.5 megawatts from 25MW.”
The rehabilitation works will also cover “replacement of electrical equipment, materials and devices necessary to meet the requirements of the specifications for the safe and reliable operation of the plant.”
There would also be “modification, rectification and restoration of affected civil/hydraulic structures and the removal/dismantling of all equipment, components and devices which need to be replaced including its hauling, transport and storage to the yard area.” source
“Yes, we are interested. We are just waiting on when the government’s decision on the bidding would be,” Andritz Hydro Philippines general manager Albin Koenigshofer said.
The remaining major issue being hammered out on the hydro generating unit’s rehabilitation is the source of the project’s financing. The budget for it was set at P2.6 billion.
When it was first scheduled for auction, the plan was to toss fund sourcing to the private contractor. However, the government changed its mind when the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) suddenly offered to provide the financing.
It was learned from in interested parties then that the auction was cancelled just two days before the scheduled submission of offers.
Because of the revision in the financing arrangement, the project has been delayed again for another year. Hence, it is becoming a futile short-term solution for Mindanao’s worsening power supply woes.
Given the modified financing terms, National Power Corporation (NPC) president Froilan A. Tampinco has explained to media that they will have to go back to square one into seeking government approvals – starting with the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) of the National Economic and Development Authority until it reaches the NEDA Board chaired by President Aquino.
Only then that NPC would be able to issue the tender notice for them to finally move ahead with the auction onto tapping the contractor for the project.
The project blueprint stipulates that “the uprating must improve the generation of the unit to around 34.5 megawatts from 25MW.”
The rehabilitation works will also cover “replacement of electrical equipment, materials and devices necessary to meet the requirements of the specifications for the safe and reliable operation of the plant.”
There would also be “modification, rectification and restoration of affected civil/hydraulic structures and the removal/dismantling of all equipment, components and devices which need to be replaced including its hauling, transport and storage to the yard area.” source
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