Updated
May 14, 2019, 10:15 AM By Myrna M. Velasco
Semirara Mining and
Power Corporation (SMPC) Chairman and CEO Isidro A. Consunji indicated they
shall be able to achieve that with the engagement of Japanese firms Toshiba
Energy Systems & Solutions (Toshiba ESS) and Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc.
as consultants – the two firms of which will then help bring back the plant to
its tip-top condition.
“Tube leak in coal
plants is not a thing in Japan, you would only hear that their plants suffer
from that once in 3 to 5 years,” he said, adding that such would be the level
of efficiency that the company would want to achieve in the Calaca power
facility despite its two-decade stretch of operations.
Tube leaks are
considered the most common problems causing forced outages of coal-fired power
plants in the Philippines. As noted by experts, tube leak could be ignited by
overheating or thermal stress in the generating units, waterside and fireside
corrosion; or due to erosion by soot-blowing steam or ash particles.
Consunji explained it
is the first time that the Calaca coal-fired generating plant will be going
through major rehabilitation after more than 25 years of operations.
As noted by SMPC President
and Chief Operating Officer Maria Cristina C. Gotianun, Toshiba is the original
equipment manufacturer (OEM) for one generating unit of the Calaca plant when
it was built by state-run National Power Corporation. The Calaca power plant
was an acquisition of the Consunji group from the government-underpinned
privatization program of power assets.
The first unit of the
Calaca plant (at 300MW installed capacity) had been placed on life extension
program (LEP) or major rehabilitation since December last year and this is due
for completion in July to August this year.
Once that unit is synchronized back to the grid, it will be the turn of the second unit to be placed on rehabilitation process – and that may also take another six months, according to Consunji.
Once that unit is synchronized back to the grid, it will be the turn of the second unit to be placed on rehabilitation process – and that may also take another six months, according to Consunji.
Calaca’s generating
unit 1 refurbishment completion will enable its capacity to be ramped up to 230
megawatts from previously at 200MW, hence, it will be gaining additional 30MW.
For unit 2, its level of generation is expected sustained at 300MW.
Consunji noted that the
increased electricity generation of the two Calaca units will satiate the scale
of capacity that the company has committed under its 10-year power supply
agreement with Manila Electric Company.
And given the scheduled
shutdown of the Calaca generating units that will be enforced simultaneously
within the year, Consunji emphasized that this will have impact on the
company’s level of revenues and eventual bottom line.
“Next year (2020) will
be better. The shutdown we have this year was already factored in in our
calculation of financial performance within the year,” he stressed.
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