Citicore breaks ground for Negros solar project

Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) has broken ground for a 69-megawatt-peak (MWp) solar power plant project in Negros Occidental.

The Citicore Solar Negros Occidental 2 to be put up in Barangay Eustaquio Lopez, Silay City covers a land area of 69 hectares and can be expanded into a total gross installed capacity of 100 MWp

Commercial operations is expected to begin this year, as part of Citicore’s deliverables for the Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP) 2. It is also part of the 792 megawatts worth of renewable energy capacities awarded to Citicore during the last year’s GEAP round.

“With the completion of this project, we will not only be able to augment the power generation needs of Negros Occidental and the Visayas grid, but also contribute to the growth of the province,” CREC president and CEO Oliver Tan said.

Citicore Solar Negros Occidental 2 is the second plant installed in Negros Occidental. The first, Citicore Solar Negros Occidental, was commissioned in 2016, with an installed capacity of 25 MWp.

According to Tan, Negros Occidental can further develop with the entry of more renewable energy projects to bring substantial socioeconomic gains while promoting access, security and sufficiency to energy.

In addition, Citicore is eyeing to contribute approximately one gigawatt of ready-to-build solar energy capacity per year for the next five years in accordance with the Department of Energy’s Philippine Energy Plan of achieving a 35 percent and 50 percent renewable energy share in the power generation mix by 2030 and 2040, respectively.

“Our vision is to power a First-World Philippines, and CREC is committed to helping our government achieve its vision for clean energy,” CREC chairman Edgar Saavedra said.

“With more projects in the pipeline, CREC is committed to working with the DOE and local governments as we transition to more renewable sources of energy for the Visayas and our country,” he added.