The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) and Japanese-Filipino affiliated telecommunications company InfiniVAN Inc. signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Friday, March 27, in a bid to turn the Aurora ecozone into a data center hub and attract clean energy investments.

Held in Makati City, the signing ceremony was led by APECO President and Chief Executive Officer, Atty. Gil G. Taway IV and InfiniVAN President Shigeki Nakahara, and graced by Economic Affairs Minister Naobumi Yokota of the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines.

The MOU proposes building a terrestrial connection inside APECO in Casiguran, Aurora, linking the ecozone with the landed and soon-to-be landed international submarine cable capacities in Baler, Aurora, as well as subsea cable capacities in Claveria, Cagayan, and other Northern Luzon submarine cable landing corridors.

This connectivity deal also aims to attract data centers to the Casiguran-based ecozone and encourage investments in clean energy to meet their high power needs.

In an interview with reporters, Atty. Taway IV said several energy firms have already expressed interest in investing in the connectivity deal, including the Pacific Impact Power Corporation, Ally Power, Inc., and GreenRock Renewables.

He revealed that the Pacific Impact Power Corporation already has a 25-megawatt (MW) service contract with the Department of Energy (DOE), but it is slightly delayed because they wanted a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Aurora Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AURELCO).

“From the business standpoint, we understand that because they needed an offtaker right off the bat. So, kahit 4 or 5 MW man lang mabibibili na ng kanilang power,” Atty. Taway IV said.

He added that the global director of the Pacific Impact Power Corporation is in Aurora to talk with the general manager of AURELCO, Engr. Jouan R. Imperial, and finalize the term sheet and the provisions of the PPA.

“Based on their agreement, they will be selling under the PPA 4 MW, and they’ll start with 10 MW—actually 6 MW to be dedicated solely to APECO,” Atty. Taway IV stressed.

The APECO president and CEO also shared that Maryland-based clean energy company Ally Power, Inc. is building a 128-MW hydrogen power project in the Aurora ecozone.  

To recall, APECO and Ally Power, Inc. signed an MOU to explore the establishment of the hydrogen-based power generation facility within the Aurora ecozone, with an estimated investment value of USD200 million.

“Magkakaroon na ng groundbreaking maybe this April, earliest, itong si Pacific Impact, Napakalapit na nyan. And according to Ed Travis of Ally Power, mag-groundbreaking sila in June of this year,” Atty. Taway IV said.

Meanwhile, APECO has yet to finalize a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with GreenRock Renewables.

“Sabi nila sa’kin, meron na silang budget. Kasi si GreenRock Renewables, parang ano siya, they’re the ones packaging the project, they’re the ones helping APECO to access funds,” Atty. Taway IV explained.

“You will be surprised, even Thai and Indonesian funders are with us in renewable and power projects,” he added.

The integration of digital and energy infrastructure under this connectivity deal is also expected to create more employment opportunities for local communities.

The signing ceremony concluded with a pledge of support signed by leaders from Aurora—including Provincial Administrator Shierwin Taay of the Provincial Government of Aurora, Aurora Lone District Representative Rommel Rico Angara, and mayors of Aurora local government units (LGUs)—for APECO and InfiniVAN’s collaboration.

Follow Power Philippines on Facebook and LinkedIn or join our Viber community for more updates.