Filinvest coal power plant cleared to start operations

By Danessa Rivera (The Philippine Star) | Updated November 18, 2016 - 12:00am

http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/11/18/1644763/filinvest-coal-power-plant-cleared-start-operations

MANILA, Philippines - FDC Misamis Power Corp. has secured regulatory clearance to start commercially operating its 3x35-megawatt (MW) circulating fluidized bed (CFB) coal thermal plant in Misamis Oriental, considered as Mindanao’s biggest base load plant.

In a statement, FDC Misamis said it was awarded a certificate of compliance (COC) by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for the commercial operations of the first two units of its coal plant after the company complied with financial, technical and environmental requirements.

Per ERC guidelines, all generation companies are required to secure COCs before they can commence commercial operations.

FDC Misamis said the COC for the third unit is expected to be secured as soon as testing and commissioning are completed. So far, it has undergone provisional acceptance.

Inaugurated by President Duterte last Sept. 22, FDC’s power plant has a combined capacity of 405 MW.

The first power plant commissioned under the Duterte administration, FDC Misamis is envisioned to end the recurring power crisis that has afflicted Mindanao for decades.

 “Our plant will finally put an end to the recurring power crisis that has plagued the region and hopefully drive the much needed economic development in Mindanao,” FDC Misamis president and CEO Mario Pangilinan said.

Since the start of testing, FDC Misamis’ generating plants have been supplying power to customers and other energy players at discounted rates, greatly contributing to the stability of the Mindanao grid.

Long term contractual commitments have been secured for more than 85 percent of the plant’s net capacity with 18 distribution utilities and industrial customers throughout Mindanao.

Located in the Phividec Industrial Estate in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental, the power plant is a multi-billion peso investment that uses the latest in clean coal technology – CFB boiler technology.

FDC Misamis is a subsidiary of FDC Utilities Inc. and a member of Filinvest Development Corp. the holding company of Gotianun-led Filinvest Group, which has interests in property development, banking and financial services, hotel and resort management, power generation and sugar processing.