DOE endorses 42 projects for commercial operations

The Department of Energy (DOE) has endorsed three more power projects for commercial operations, ending 2018 with 42 projects overall.

The agency issued certificates of endorsement (COE) for three diesel-fired projects, which have a combined capacity of six megawatts (MW).

Data from the DOE showed the three are located in Mindanao, one in Manticao, Misamis Oriental; Canitoan, Cagayan de Oro; and Talakag, Bukidnon.

All in all, the DOE endorsed 42 power projects last year with a combined capacity of 1663.98 MW.

Of the total, the most number of projects are diesel-fired power plants counting at 22.

The lists also counts 16 renewable energy projects, with seven solar plants, four biomass plants, four hydropower projects, one geothermal facility and one waste-to-energy plant.

So far, the only geothermal facility in the list, which is the 12-megawatt (MW) expansion of Maibarara Geothermal Inc. (MGI), has been cleared to commence commercial operations.

Meanwhile, there are four coal plants in the list, the biggest of which is the 4x150-MW circulating fluidized bed coal-fired power plant of SMC Consolidated Power Corp. in Limay, Bataan.

It is followed by the 420MW coal-fired power plant of Pagbilao Energy Corp. (PEC), which was inaugurated by President Duterte in May last year. PEC is the joint venture between TPEC Holdings Corp. and Therma Power Inc., which are wholly-owned subsidiaries of TeaM Energy and Aboitiz Power, respectively.

The COE is a requirement for the issuance of Certificate of Compliance (COC) by Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), which is necessary before any generation company can commence commercial operations.