Tuesday, November 21, 2006 PNOC's P8B Mailum geothermal plant almost done; test run set By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
POWER supply in Negros, Panay and Cebu islands is expected to be stabilized as soon as the P8 billion 49-megawatt geothermal plant is almost completed and ready for operation early next year.
The 49-megawatt geothermal plant of the state-owned Philippine National Oil Company-Energy Development Corporation (EDC) is located in Mailum, Bago City in southern Negros.
Joey Higgins, PNOC-EDC's Corporate Communication Head told Sun.Star Bacolod Monday that they have set Feb 2, 2007 as the tentative date for the blessing and inauguration of the plant located within the periphery of Mt. Kanlaon.
But prior to the blessing, Higgins said the plant will be tested or commissioned next month.
"This is a sort of a test run to check the plant's viability before it will be finally operated," he said.
The Mailum geothermal plant will source out power through earth stem and will be distributed to various sub-stations of the National Transmission Corp. (Transco) in the Visayas.
Transco will then distribute the power to various electric cooperatives in Negros, Panay and Cebu who are willing to buy it from PNOC.
"We have this so-called fluid collection and reinjection system to effectively deliver the power from our plant to Transco substations even thru submarine cables only," Higgins further said.
The Mailum plant or the Northern Negros Geothermal Power Plant (NNGPP) is the second for PNOC-EDC in Negros island.
The first was in Palinpinon or the Southern Negros Geothermal Power Plant (SNGGP) in Valencia, Oriental Negros.
As of press time, Higgins cannot as yet divulge the names of electric coops that have already signed a contract with the PNOC-EDC for the power sale.
But sources said PNOC-EDC has signed separate five-year electricity sales agreements with the Iloilo Electric Cooperative (Ileco) and Aboitiz-led Visayan Electric Co., Inc. (Veco) for 15 MW.
On the other hand, the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) in Bacolod and central Negros area is also contemplating of signing a contract with PNOC-EDC.
"We are very much willing to buy power from PNOC to have ample supply and to stabilize distribution to our consumers in Bacolod, among other areas," Ceneco President Ed Guillem said.
"We are only waiting for the proper things to be laid down and stipulated in the contract later," he added.
Meanwhile, the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) and the Victorias-Manapla Rural Electric Cooperative (VRESCO) in southern and northern Negros, respectively also signified intention to buy power from PNOC, sources said.
Noceco and VRESCO officials cannot be reached for confirmation as of press time. Meanwhile, the Mailum plant started through an exploration development sometime in 1994.
Construction followed in 2005 with Kanematsu Corporation as contractor and was financed by a $68.4-million official development assistance from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
