In a press briefing here over the weekend, Harris said as evidence to this commitment, Mirant Philippines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Mirant Corp., has recently completed the construction of a 2.5- kilometer submarine cable connecting the main Subic Bay Freeport to near by Grande Island.
The project is part of the company’s effort to help improve the basic infrastructure requirements of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
Mirant currently supplies electricity to Subic through the Subic Enerzone Co., the utility company that distributes electricity within the zone.
Mirant built the P42-million submarine cable as part of its commitment to upgrade the distribution facilities in the freeport.
The 13.8-kilovolt submarine cable is capable of delivering four megawatts (MW) of electricity to the island, which is enough power to energize at least a dozen medium-sized tourist lodging facilities.
"We are pleased to announce the completion of this submarine cable which can help boost Subic’s tourism industry and possibly attract more businesses and visitors," Harris said.
Harris said Mirant Philippines is not only committed to doing business in the Philippines but also help its host communities improve their way of life.
"Grande Island has enormous potential for tourism and recreation activities but requires electrification to achieve that potential. Such infrastructure upgrades can help to create income and generate employment opportunities at the Freeport," Harris added.
The Subic Bay Freeport Zone, considered the country’s premier economic zone and investment hub, is also among the nation’s most visited tourist destinations. It also hosts such companies as Federal Express, Wistron (formerly Acer) and Sankyo Seiki, as well as entertainment theme park Ocean Adventure.
"Along with Subic, Mirant has brought electricity to millions of Filipinos since starting operations in the Philippines. Our rural electrification program alone has energized over 1,000 villages, building over 11,000 kilometers of distribution lines, benefiting more than 1.5 million individuals in 33 provinces," Harris said.