Energy World on track to fire up 400-MW power plant in Pagbilao

MANILA, Philippines - Australia’s Energy World Corp. (EWC) is aiming to have its 400 megawatt gas-fired power plant ready by the summer of 2015 to help ease a looming power shortage.

EWC executive director Brian Allen said the first 200-MW gas turbine and generator have arrived at the plant site in Pagbilao, Quezon, with the second 200-MW turbine and generator expected to arrive within three weeks.

 “Under the accelerated program, we hope to have the first 200 MW unit ready for generating power into the Luzon grid by early 2015 and the second 200 MW unit to come on line shortly thereafter,” Allen said.

He said by achieving this program, EWC would meet the Department of Energy’s request to bring into commercial operation an additional 400 MW of power capacity to the Luzon grid by the summer of 2015, thus addressing the foreseen shortfall in Luzon’s power generation capacity.

While the company did not provide a definite date for the commissioning of the respective 200 MW units, Allen said they are working diligently to meet the request of the DOE to have the units ready for commercial operation as soon as it can.

Additional development would come thereafter.

 “Our planning is for the additional 250 MW steam turbine package to be phased into this development by yearend 2015 or early 2016,” Allen said.

Based on timetables released by the DOE in February last year, EWC’s first unit was supposed to be online in December 2014 and the turbines were supposed to arrive in May 2014.

EWC is aiming to put up the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) hub terminal in the country, in support of the DOE’s push to reduce the country’s carbon footprint per kilowatt-hour and develop an environment-friendly energy industry to support economic growth in the country.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla has been pushing for the declaration of a state of emergency in the power sector to avert a looming power shortage next year.

He said the Philippines will need 9,011 MW of power next year, higher than this year’s demand of 8,717 MW, on the back of the projected growth in the economy.