Palm Concepcion readies start of first 135-MW coal plant unit

By Danessa Rivera (The Philippine Star) | Updated August 3, 2016 - 12:00am
http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/08/03/1609415/palm-concepcion-readies-start-first-135-mw-coal-plant-unit

MANILA, Philippines – Palm Concepcion Power Corp. (PCPC) plans to start up the first unit of its 2x135-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Concepcion, Iloilo within the week after getting clearance from the power regulator.

In a statement, PCPC said it was granted a provisional Certificate of Compliance (COC) by the the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for the operation of its 135-MW power plant, which will eventually be replaced by a final COC as advised by the ERC.

Securing a COC is necessary before any generation company can commence commercial operations.

PCPC said the construction of the power plant is already 99.5 percent completed as of end-July, while commissioning is expected to be completed this week.

The firm said the issuance of the provisional certificate signifies PCPC’s compliance with the requirements under the 2014 Revised Rules for the Issuance of Certificate of Compliance for Generation Companies/Entities with Self-Generation Facilities.

“PCPC was granted the provisional COC after careful determination by ERC of the company’s compliance with the financial, technical, and environmental requirements,” PCPC senior vice president Winifredo Pangilinan said.

The power plant will be supplying its power generation capacities to the Visayas grid, covered by an ERC-approved power supply agreement with distribution utilities in Negros, Cebu, Leyte and Panay.

PCPC is seen as a critical addition to the power generation industry especially in Panay, Negros and Cebu Islands since it will augment the growing power requirements in Iloilo, Aklan, Negros and Cebu which are among the top tourist destinations in the country.

PCPC is a joint venture of Palm Thermal Consolidated Holdings Corp. (PTCHC), a subsidiary of A Brown Co. Inc. (ABCI), and Jin Navitas Resource Inc. (JNRI).

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has granted a provisional Certificate of Compliance (COC) to Palm Concepcion Power Corp. (PCPC) for the operation of the power firm’s 135-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant.

PCPC, a joint venture of Palm Thermal Consolidated Holdings Corp. (PTCHC), a subsidiary of A Brown Co. Inc. (ABCI) and Jin Navitas Resources Inc. (JNRI), is the owner of the 2x135 MW Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion (CFBC) coal-fired power plant in Barangay Nipa, Concepcion, Iloilo.

The provisional COC will be eventually replaced by a final COC as advised by the ERC.

PCPC said the issuance of the provisional certificate signifies PCPC’s compliance with the requirements under the 2014 Revised Rules for the Issuance of Certificate of Compliance for Generation Companies/Entities with Self-Generation Facilities.

“PCPC was granted the provisional COC after careful determination by ERC of the company’s compliance with financial, technical, and environmental requirements,” said Winifredo Pangilinan, senior vice president of PCPC.

The construction of the power plant is already 99.5 percent complete as of the end of July, while commissioning is expected to be completed by the first week of August 2016.