Napocor starts bid process for Leyte solar-diesel plant

MANILA, Philippines - The National Power Corp. (Napocor) has started bidding out the contract for a solar-diesel hybrid plant in Southern Leyte that would ensure 24/7 power supply in the area.

In a bid bulletin, Napocor said it is seeking bidders for the design, supply, delivery, installation, test and commissioning of the Limawasa solar photovoltaic-diesel hybrid power plant in Southern Leyte.

The approved budget for the contract is P55.55 million, which is approved under the agency’s corporate budget for 2015.

Napocor has scheduled a pre bid-conference on Dec. 3 and opening of bids on Dec. 15.

“Bids received in excess of the ABC (approved budget for the contract) shall be automatically rejected at bid opening,” the power firm said.

The Limawasa project is among the 21 plants Napcoor mulls for hybridization.

Napocor said it is spending over P400 million to transform 21 of its diesel power plants in SPUG areas into hybrid plants and is part of the state-owned firm’s renewable energy (RE) program for 2017-2020.

The power company has been planning the use of RE hybrid systems in its missionary electrification program to lower the Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification (UCME) of the 290 SPUG power plants across the country.

Currently, the UCME reflected in electricity bills is at P0.15 per kilowatt hour.

Under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001, UCME is collected from end-users which will be used for the electrification of remote communities or areas not connected to the main transmission grid.