The Department of Energy (DOE) awarded the gas fired power plant of Energy World Corporation (EWC) in Pagbilao Quezon, First Quezon Biogas Corporation, and DMCI Masbate Power Corporation the certification of energy project of national significance (CEPNS).
DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said he signed the CEPNS for the 650 MW EWC gas power project, ” because we need its capacity to meet our future power demand.”
The proposed EWC gas project has an integrated liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal, but it was clarified that the power plant component received the EPNS certification.
The EWC plant encountered a series of issues in its implementation and completion phases; the project earlier raised concerns regarding transmission connection hurdles but the DOE reported that those issues had been addressed.
EWC offered to help reduce the supply deficiency dilemmas in 2015 but missed their target project completion of 2014.
In terms of the DMCI project of the Consunji group, the 15 MW thermal power facility will be located in the municipality of Mobo in Masbate province.
Chinese firms China Energy Engineering Group Company and China Southeast Asia Electric Power Construction Corp. have been awarded the engineering procurement and construction (EPC) of the power plant project.
Meanwhile, the biogas project will be located in Candelaria, Quezon province. European firm ABB Ltd. will be the technology solutions provider.
The project will need an investment of US $ 9.7 million and will be able to process up to 20 tons of agricultural waste and turn it into electricity.
Under Executive Order No. 30 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte last year, the EPNS certification of energy projects target to fast track project approvals and permitting processes for qualified projects.
The DOE has declared around 10 projects as “project of national significance.” The projects range from transmission interconnection ventures, thermal power assets, energy resource extraction, and renewable energy facilities.
