The Department of Energy (DOE) has planned ideal locations to build new power plants to meet the projected needed supply of over 43,000 megawatts (MW) until the year 2040.
As opened up by the Philippines’ long-term energy plan, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said that this will serve as an investment opportunities guide for the private sector.
Cusi said that they have indicated the ideal locations of the needed generation capacities after they have considered all the important factors like the availability of transmission facilities and the projected demand in the specific areas.
The latest DOE data showed that the National Capital Region and Bicol were the ideal locations to put up new power plants in Luzon.
The ideal sites in Visayas are in Cebu, Samar, and Bohol. The ideal sites in Mindanao are in Agusan del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Sultan Kudarat.
The plan of the government is to execute a robust pipeline of public works at an unprecedented speed as it plans to spend P8.4 trillion over the next five years to put up vital infrastructure to cope with the country’s economic growth.
Energy Secretary Cusi stressed the need for the executive order (EO) to declare power projects as projects of national significance. He also said that power plants should be annually built starting from this year to meet the massive demands in the coming years.
“Hopefully, with ‘Dutertenomics’ attracting the adequate level of private investments, we can reach our targeted additional power capacity by year 2040 — 43,765 MW,” Cusi said.
“Dutertenomics” is the President’s economic agenda and a program anchored on rule of law, driven by massive infrastructure spending, and has the slogan “Build, Build, Build.”
“The 43,000 MW is parallel with the Ambisyon Natin 2040. As we will build the plants on a yearly basis, [that will be] dependent on the demand. Up to 2022, we are forecasting about 12,000 MW of the 43,000 will be in that period. That’s because of the increase in infra building under ‘Build, Build, Build’,” Cusi said.
