The Department of Energy (DOE) announced that newly operating power plants in Bataan and Cebu have brought in 237-MW additional capacity to the power grid in the first half of 2017.
This is in part of the government’s initiatives in installing 43,765-MW new energy by 2040, representing mixed baseload requirements, mid-merit and peaking power plants.
As per DOE’s findings, the added power capacity came from the 150-MW Limay coal-fired plant (unit 1) and the 18-MW Mariveles solar farm in Bataan, as well as the 60-MW First Toledo solar farm in Cebu, the Standard reports.
Currently, the country has a peak demand of 13,683-MW comprised of grids in Luzon (10,054-MW), Visayas (1,933-MW) and Mindanao (1,696-MW). This is included in the existing power supply of over 21,621-MW as of late June.
Meanwhile, dependable capacity reached only 19,536-MW, with 13,874-MW covering Luzon, 2,945-MW in Visayas, and 2,716-MW in Mindanao.
On a lighter note, the Philippines has upped its energy supply with an additional 2,000-MW as of 2016 due to productive operations of commercial power plants like the 450-MW San Gabriel natural gas plant, the 405-MW FDC Misamis coal plant, the 300-MW Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp., the 150-MW SMC Malita coal plant, the 135-MW Palm Concepcion coal plant, and the 132.5-MW Helios solar farm.
“We are determined to achieve the ideal and dependable 70-20-10 energy mix, through massive infrastructure and development with the indispensable participation of the private sector,” DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.
“Hopefully, with Dutertenomics attracting the adequate level of private investments, we can reach our targeted additional power capacity by year 2040 at 43,765 MW,” he added.