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EDC considers 20 MW expansion for Negros plant

EDC considers 20 MW expansion for Negros plant Drilling rig of EDC in the Philippines (source: EDC)
Francisco Rojas 30 Sep 2014

The president of EDC mentioned on a press conference that the company is looking at a potential of additional 20 MW, bringing the total capacity to 69.4 MW for the newly commissioned geothermal plant.

Local news from the Philippines inform that ENERGY Development Corp. (EDC) is considering expanding its recently-commissioned 49.4-megawatt (MW) (ThinkGeoEnergy) geothermal power plant in Negros Oriental, a top official said on Friday.
“We are studying (a potential expansion). It will take a year to finalize the plans,” Richard B. Tantoco, EDC president and chief operating officer, told reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Nasulo power project.

Mr. Tantoco said the company is looking at a potential of additional 20 MW, which would bring the total capacity to 69.4 MW and further boost supply in the Visayas region.

“We are currently studying the resource and we’re preparing to drill to confirm the resource,” he said.

“There is so much steam in the area so we want to look at that to utilize the available resource.”

EDC last Friday officially commenced commercial operations of its Nasulo geothermal plant in the municipality of Valencia.

The power project serves as the replacement for its 49-MW Northern Negros geothermal plant in Negros Occidental, which was shut down in 2011 due to regressed steam production.

To utilize the remaining facilities and assets of the geothermal plant, EDC’s board approved the transfer of such assets to operate the new project in Negros Oriental.

EDC has also committed to bringing in two more power projects by the 2015 dry season, according to EDC Chairman Federico R. Lopez. These are a 150-MW wind power project in Ilocos Norte and the 130-MW Bacon-Manito (BacMan) geothermal project in Bicol.

EDC originally planned to have the first 87 MW of its wind farm in Burgos to start operations by the end of the year and the remaining 63 MW by March 2015.

But Mr. Lopez said, “Both phases of the Burgos wind project are now ahead of schedule.”

For the BacMan project, the same official noted: “We are bringing online the full 130 MW of power before the 2015 supply shortage.”

The two 55-MW units of the BacMan power plant are expected to be fully repaired by the first quarter of next year. The power assets were shut down and monitored last year because of technical problems.

The smaller 20-MW unit also received a new generator to optimize its operations.

Source: Business World Online