Trans-Asia to get coal needs from Semirara

MANILA, Philippines - Trans-Asia Oil & Energy Development Corp. (TA Oil), a unit of the Phinma Group, is eyeing to get its coal requirements from Semirara Mining Corp., coal mining firm of the Consunjis.

TA Oil president Francisco Viray said that aside from Semirara, they may also get from Indonesian coal suppliers for its planned 135 megawatt coal plant in Barangay Puting Bato West, Calaca, Batangas.

Viray said they would like to start negotiations for coal supply agreement as construction of their P8.5 billion coal-fired facility is in the offing.

Semirara is the country’s largest coal supplier while Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest suppliers of coal.

The coal project of TA Oil is part of the government’s indicative power projects for Luzon.

The project, once commissioned, is envisioned to augment power requirement in Luzon in the medium term.

Apart from its greenfield coal power project, TA Oil is also trying to aggressively take part on the remaining privatization efforts of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM).

TA Oil earlier said it is willing to look at assets for sale by PSALM.

“We’re looking at Malaya, Bac-Man and Bauang diesel in Luzon and Iligan diesel in Mindanao,” Viray said.

He said they are eyeing the 150 MW Bacon-Manito (BacMan) geotheral power plants and the contracted capacities of the 650 MW Malaya thermal power plant which will be offered to bidders in May and June, respectively.

Viray said they may also bid for the 114 MW Iligan I & II Diesel Power Plant complex in Northern Mindanao and the 225 MW diesel power plant in Bauang, La Union.

He said they would also be engaging in other projects such as wind power.