RDC bares projects to address power deficit in W. Visayas
Several projects are in the pipeline to counter the looming power shortage in the Western Visayas region.
Regional Development Council (RDC) chair Governor Salvacion Perez of Antique said these projects are either in the pre-construction stage or are already undergoing development.
Perez cited the four hydroelectric power projects that can produce an estimated capacity of 62 megawatts to be established in Aklan, Antique and Negros Occidental.
At present, there are micro hydroelectric power plants operating in the region with an installed capacity of nine megawatts.
These are the Villasiga mini-hydro with an 8-megawatt capacity and Guaiamon-San Ramon mini-hydro with 2.1 megawatts, all in Antique.
The Villasiga project will result to P292-million in savings and reduction of greenhouse emissions by 17,000 tons annually, Perez said.
For geothermal energy, P1.5-billion was pegged for the 30-megawatt Northern Negros geothermal augmentation project in Bago City.
“We also re-commissioned the Northern Negros Geothermal Plant in March 2009 with a projected capacity of 16 megawatts. The power generated is being sold to ILECO,” she said.
Perez noted that several potential areas are being considered under the wind investment promotion round, including Caticlan in Aklan (10 MW); Pandan in Antique (20 MW); San Remegio, also in Antique (20 MW); and San Carlos in Negros Occidental (30 MW).
Guimaras province also inked a deal with the Trans-Asia Oil and Development Corporation for a US$ 100 million project targeted to generate 54 megawatts out of the wind turbines to be built in San Lorenzo, Guimaras, Perez said.
The Asean One Power Corporation has also announced its intention to invest P3-billion in the region.
“They will put up power plants in Panay and Guimaras islands which will produce 25 megawatts by converting wastes-to-energy after winning a power supply agreement bid to various electric cooperatives in Iloilo. Their plants, with individual capabilities ranging from 2.5 - 5 megawatts, will provide additional base load supply to the Panay-Guimaras Power Supply Consortium,” Perez noted.
The Green Global Power Corporation will also be supplying the consortium of power cooperatives. Among its committed projects included the 17.5 megawatt Biomass Power Plants in Iloilo and Capiz, Perez said.
In Negros Occidental, the San Carlos City Bio-energy Project costing P2.2 billion was also completed last year.
The RDC also disclosed the northern Panay backbone transmission project, costing P1.9 billion, which will provide steady supply of power to parts of Aklan and Antique.
Also the Panay-Boracay interconnection project will soon be operational and will provide steady supply of energy to Boracay Island.
Earlier, the Department of Energy reported that the Visayas grid will be critical starting 2011 with the retirement of the 48-megawatt (MW) Cebu Land-Based Gas Turbine (LGBT) during the said period.
The disclosure was made by DOEduring the jurisdictional hearing and expository presentation at the L’ Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City on Monday.
While the system reserve in Visayas grid is experiencing a shortfall in 2009 with a deficit of 25 megawatts, the current capacity can still cover the peak demand for the period, the DOE said.
“Starting 2009-2017, a total of 500 MW indicative capacities will be needed to address the shortfall,” it said.
The DoE and the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) earlier eyed the approval of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on their proposal to implement the Visayas Supply Augmentation Auction (VSAA) program.
The VSAA was eyed as the answer to the power shortage in Visayas that is reported to likely hit the island this summer.
VSAA is a day-ahead market that would allow embedded generators to sell their uncontracted capacity and grid connected customers to sell an interruptible portion of their loads, through an auction process.
If approved, the VSAA would take effect April 26 this year. (PNA)