2 investor groups eye Malaya power plant

MANILA, Philippines - At least two investor groups have expressed interest in bidding for the P600-million contract to operate a power plant in Rizal province.

“Two bidders participated in the pre-bid conference for the procurement of Malaya operation and maintenance service contract (OMSC),” PSALM president and CEO Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. said in a text message.

“Other prospective bidders may still acquire bidding documents up to the bidding date and participate in the bidding, as allowed under the Procurement Law,” Ledesma added.

Late last week, the PSALM conducted a pre-bid conference with prospective bidders to discuss the technical aspects of the project.

In July, PSALM started inviting bids for the one year operation and maintenance of the 650-megawatt (MW) Malaya thermal power plant located in Pililla, Rizal.

The state-owned firm has allotted as much as P555.828 million of its 2013 corporate operating budget to pay the contract.

“Bidders’ concerns cover mainly the condition of the Malaya plant,” Ledesma said.

To date, the joint venture of SPC Light Co. and SPC Power Corp. operates the Malaya power plant.

In October, the bids and awards committee declared the P715-million offer of the SPC Power group as the lowest calculated and responsive bid, which was within the approved budget of P716.8 million for a one-year OMSC.

The bid documents were available starting July 24 for a non-refundable fee of P75,000. The opening of bids is scheduled on Aug. 17.

PSALM is seeking private sector participation for the maintenance of state-owned power plants.

In June, the second round of bidding for the P350-million contract to operate the 145.8-MW Naga power plant complex in Cebu failed as only one bidder submitted an offer.

SPC, formerly Salcon Power Corp., is a venture company led by the Salcon consortium that bagged a six-month contract to continue operating and maintaining the Naga plant complex in March.