Despite the increased activity of the Mayon Volcano, the Tiwi Geothermal Power Plant in Tiwi, Albay, owned by Aboitiz Power Corporation, remains fully operational as it continues to supply the Luzon grid.
President and Chief Operating Officer of AP Renewables Inc. (APRI) Jeffrey R. Estrella stated that the geothermal plant has not experienced any significant effects on its electricity production or encountered other issues related to temperature changes and fluid flow.
“The complex gross generation for the past week has been around 120 megawatts (MW) with no incident relating to Mayon’s unrest,” Estrella said in a statement.
Additionally, the construction of a binary geothermal plant at the Tiwi Facility is progressing well and it is expected to be completed and operational before the end of the year. This plant is expected to contribute an extra 17 MW of clean electricity by utilizing the residual heat obtained from the hot brine side of the geothermal production process.
“Nonetheless, despite Tiwi Geothermal’s distance to Mayon’s crater of about 24 kilometers, we remain on safety alert for any possible eventualities,” Estrella added.
Due to the heightened risk of an eruption from the Mayon Volcano, the province of Albay has been placed under a state of calamity. The volcano is currently classified under Alert Level 3, indicating “intensified unrest” or magmatic unrest. As a precautionary measure, residents that occupy within the six-kilometer radius, known as the “permanent danger zone,” have been evacuated to ensure their safety.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), recent data reveals that approximately 5,800 families, comprising over 20,000 individuals, have been affected by the eruption threat in six municipalities and two component cities within the province.
In a show of support for the provincial government of Albay’s evacuation efforts, Aboitiz Foundation Inc. donated 10,000 sacks of 5 kilograms of rice. This contribution aims to provide much-needed support to the evacuees in Daraga and Camalig, ensuring they have access to essential food supplies during this challenging time.
