Published
By James A. Loyola
Integrated energy
company Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC) invested P2.8 billion on
the rehabilitation and life extension program of its two power plants under
power generation subsidiary Sem-Calaca Power Corporation (SCPC).
Another P2.2 billion
worth of contracts related to the program was also recently awarded to various
local and foreign suppliers.
The three-year program
ending 2019 has an allotted budget of about P8 billion. It aims to boost the
generation capacity of both plants to 600MW and extend its economic life by
around 20 to 25 years.
“Units 1 and 2 have
been running for 33 years and 21 years, respectively. We are upgrading the
equipment to get the reliability, performance, and efficiency needed to support
our continuing commercial requirements,” said SMPC President and COO Victor A.
Consunji.
Initial equipment
upgrades such as boiler modifications beginning late 2016 have already
increased the generation capacity of Unit 1 from 220MW to 270MW.
Meanwhile, Unit 2 is
scheduled for boiler refurbishing and electric precipitator (EP) expansion from
December 2017 to March, 2018.
The EP, a filtration
device that can remove 99 percent of hazardous air pollutants, uses static
electricity to filter soot and ash from exhaust fumes before exiting
smokestacks.
By 2019, a new
generator and turbine will also be installed to prolong the plants’ economic
viability.
SMPC is the only power
producer in the country that owns and mines its own fuel source, allowing it to
generate affordable baseload power for the Luzon and Visayas grids.
No comments:
Post a Comment