The Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) has consumed more than half of its P8 billion budget for its three-year upgrade program of its power plants in Calaca, Batangas.
SMPC said that P2.8 billion has been spent on the rehabilitation and life extension program under the Sem-Calaca Power Corp. (SCPC).
P2.2 billion worth of contracts related to the program were also awarded to different local and foreign suppliers.
The aforementioned are part of the three-year program until 2019 that has a budget of around P8 billion. It looks to up the generation capacity of both plants to 600-megawatts (MW) and extends its economic life by 20 to 25 years.
“Units 1 and 2 have been running for 33 years and 21 years, respectively. We are upgrading the equipment to get the reliability, performance, and efficiency needed to support our continuing commercial requirements,” SMPC president and COO Victor Consunji said.
Initial upgrades like in boiler modifications since 2016 have increased the generation capacity of Unit 1 from 220 MW to 270 MW.
Unit 2 is scheduled for boiler refurbishing and electric precipitator (EP) expansion on December 2017 to March 2018. The EP is a filtration device that can remove 99 percent of hazardous air pollutants. It uses static electricity to filter soot and ash from exhaust fumes before exiting smokestacks.
In 2019, a new generator and turbine will also be installed to extend the power plant’s economic viability.
Consuji Group won the Calaca plant auction in July 2009 with a bid of $362 million. The Calaca plants, at that time, were only producing 340 MW.
Under the Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp., the Calaca plant was expanded with a new 2×150 MW plant that began commercial operations in February 2016.
The company is currently working on another expansion through a 2×350 MW coal-fired power plant through St. Raphael Power Generation Corp – a joint venture between Semirara and Meralco PowerGen Corp.
