Energy department lists sites for new power plants

THE DEPARTMENT of Energy has identified seven sites in Luzon, four in the Visayas and three in Mindanao as sites to build new power plants with total capacity of 1,500 megawatts (MW) and corresponding transmission lines to accommodate the new facilities.

“Every year we should be building our supply based on the projection of demand,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi told reporters on the sidelines of a forum last week.

For instance, power plant projects meant to meet 2021 demand should now be under construction.

Power source developers have said it takes hundreds of permits to initiate a project, while construction itself takes up to four years depending on technology used.

“It takes time before you realize that,” Mr. Cusi said.

In Luzon, he said the department has identified the seven sites for 850 MW of new capacity, namely: Sucat, Muntinlupa (300 MW); Malaya in Rizal province (300 MW); Labo, Camarines Norte (50 MW); Bay, Laguna (50 MW); Lumban, Laguna (50 MW); Naga, Camarines Sur (50 MW); and Daraga, Albay (50 MW).

For the Muntinlupa plant, the department has identified the need for a 115 kilovolt ( kV) transmission line. Malaya will require a 230 kV line, while the rest needs 69 kV transmission lines.

In the Visayas, the total capacity needed is 350 MW, of which Compostela, Mactan and Corella will each have 100 MW and 138 kV transmission line. The rest is for Calbayog at 50 MW also with a corresponding 138 kV line.

The three areas in Mindanao for a total of 300 MW are San Francisco, Sultan Kudarat and Pitogo each with 100 MW and a corresponding 138 kV transmission line.

Mr. Cusi said the department remains technology- neutral, saying this detail will be left for power plant proponents to offer. He also said they should be guided by the country’s requirement of sourcing 70% of power from baseload plants, or those running on coal, natural gas and geothermal power on a 24- hour basis; 20% from “mid- merit” facilities that can be switched on easily when demand jumps and 10% from “peaking” plants that run mainly on oil and renewable energy resources like wind and solar

whose output peaks at around the same time that demand reaches its highest level.

The new plants form part of the department’s projection that the Philippines will need 43,765 MW additional capacity by 2040 to meet demand, according to the economy’s current growth trajectory.

The government targets gross domestic product ( GDP) to expand by 6.5-7.5% this year and by 7- 8% starting 2018 from 2016’s actual 6.9%. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia last week reiterated his personal estimate — first aired in earlyMay — that second-quarter GDP growth could have come closer to 7% even as first- quarter expansion disappointed at a slowerthan-expected 6.4%.

Mr. Cusi said power demand projections are based on the current administration’s infrastructure program that involves construction of airports, railroads and transport networks all over the country.

“The infrastructure buildup… that would boost demand for electricity and power,” he said.