Napocor decommissions some power plants

Closing down some oil-fired power plants will save the National Power Corp. (Napocor) up to P2 billion, said Napocor chief operating officer Asisclo Gonzaga.

Plants on standby or will be operated during times of emergency are the 250-megawatt plant in Sucat; 600 MW Malaya plant in Rizal; 300 MW Hopewell plant in Navotas. The small gas turbines and diesel-fired power plants of Enron, La Union and First Private Power Corp., which were put up in the late 1980s when the country experienced massive power shortages, will also be decommissioned.

The decommission will be completed by end-2000 in time for the start of commercial sales of natural gas from Malampaya. Malampaya is projected to yield 2700 MW in the next 20 years.

To date, 44 percent of the country’s energy requirements come from indigenous and non-oil sources. Malampaya will account for 24 percent of the country’s power requirement next year. – Donnabelle Gatdula