The scheduled 150-megawatt (MW) Therma Visayas Inc.’s (TVI) coal expansion, situated in Toledo, Cebu, is spared from the coal moratorium imposed in 2020, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).
In a report by Manila Standard, the moratorium stressed that coal plants would be exempted if the firm had already established expansion plans and had existing land site facilities.
TVI’s parent company, Aboitiz Power Corporation, stated their interest in expanding to cater to the increasing power demands in Cebu.
The DOE cleared that TVI’s expansion project, which covered the existing circulating fluidized bed coal plants in Toledo City, is considered within the provision. The project has now been endorsed to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for a system impact study.
Additionally, AboitizPower president and CEO Emmanuel Rubio said that the firm is weighing its choices, which include developing a 150 MW LNG gas plant in Cebu or pursuing a coal plant, taking into account various finance and cost considerations.
Rubio continued, saying that Cebu would require greater capacity by 2026 or 2027 and that they are currently exploring the possibility of boosting the 300 MW of TVI capacity with a 150 MW baseload.
