Napocor putting up solar-diesel plant in Limasawa

MANILA, Philippines — State-run National Power Corp. (Napocor) is putting up its first solar photovoltaic (PV) – diesel hybrid power plant in the historic island municipality of Limasawa, Southern Leyte worth P54 million.

The power plant will have 120 kilowatt peak (kWp) solar installation and 120 kWh energy storage system, Napocor said.

The project has been awarded to engineering construction company Power Dimension Inc. and should be commissioned in early 2019.

“The power plant will use battery energy storage to maximize power generation from sunlight, stabilize supply and ensure continuous power,” Napocor vice president for power engineering services Rogel Teves said.

Once completed, the project is expected to bring down the overall power rates in the island, Napocor said.

Limasawa Island is being powered by Napocor’s Limasawa Diesel Power Plant (DPP) which has implemented round the clock operations since October 2017. The power plant has 700 kW dependable capacity which is enough to meet the island’s demand.  

Napocor serves 1,200 household-customers in the island through the Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative Inc.

Limasawa DPP is also part of Napocor’s capacity addition program for this year as it is programmed to receive two units of 200kW and two units of 300kW generating sets.

It is also set to build its own fuel oil storage tank to ensure continuous supply of electricity even in inclement weather conditions where fuel hauling is most difficult.

Napocor is the national government’s arm for missionary electrification as mandated by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, which is done through its 275 SPUG power facilities scattered all over the country.

This year, the state-run firm is acquiring 124 generator sets (gensets) worth as much as P1.3 billion to improve power supply in off-grid islands.

Of the total, 47 gensets worth P554.69 million are for Luzon, 55 gensets costing P433.07 million are for Visayas and 22 gensets amounting to P272.37 million are for Mindanao.