Mindanao to get additional power supply

DAVAO CITY, Philippines - – The Aboitiz Power Corp. through its subsidiary, the Therma South, is set to expand the capacity of its coal-fired power plant from 300 megawatts to 645 MW to ensure adequate power supply in this city as well as in the entire Mindanao. 

The proposed expansion of the power plant is being deliberated in the city council.

The plan is expected to address the worsening power situation in Mindanao, which is highly dependent on hydroelectric power. Power outages reaching up to 10 hours a day crippled certain parts of Mindanao due to the lack of water as source of the said hydroelectric power.

Construction is ongoing for the P25-billion coal-fired power in Barangay Binugao, Toril District. It is expected to be completed and operational by early 2015.  

The power plant, which will use the circulating fluidized-bed technology, is projected to supply power to other electric cooperatives in the south.

Aboitiz Power is negotiating with electric cooperatives for supply contracts of the Davao coal power plant.