Ayala-led ACEN Corp. is looking to increase the capacity of its Pagudpud Wind project in Ilocos Norte to 135 megawatts (MW) by the end of the year.
In a report by Business World, ACEN President and CEO Eric Francia said they’re targeting to increase the capacity of the wind farm from 80 MW to 135 MW, adding that the end of 2023 or early 2024 is an “approximate timing for the second phase.”
The first phase of the project was inaugurated last week with an installed capacity of 160 MW. However, the Php 11.8 billion wind project is currently only 50% operational or 80 MW in order to meet the urgency of adding more power to the grid.
Francia added that the Pagudpud Wind Project is seen to be fully operational by December 2025 in time for the Green Energy Auction Program.
Following full operations, the said wind farm will become the largest in the country with 32 wind turbine generators – each one able to generate around five megawatts.
In other developments, ACEN noted that it’s looking to finish its 70 MW Capa wind project, also in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, by 2025.
Francia said that the first phases of the Capa wind project will be completed within the next 12 months, adding that they’re targeting year 2025 to finish the project.
Apart from onshore wind, ACEN is also looking at tapping the potential of offshore wind resources in the country.
Francia said that offshore wind is “the next big opportunity in Ilocos.” However, the ACEN official added that transmission concerns need to be addressed for offshore wind. He is hopeful that the northern loop is part of the transmission development plan, and it will be “built in such a way that it would harness all the potential here in Ilocos Norte.”
To date, ACEN has a wind portfolio of 426 MW in the Philippines alone, 266 MW are in operation while 150 MW is under construction.