THE power demand in Mindanao is expected to go up with the entry of more power sources by the existing and new power players, an official from the Department of Energy (DOE) said.
Irma C. Exconde, DOE assistant director for Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, during her presentation on the power situation of the Philippines during the Media Training on Power at Astoria Plaza in Ortigas City, said as the power supply increases, they are also expecting the demand to go up.
She said the demand on the island has been constrained in the past couple of years due to the limited power supply.
"Pero once pumasok na yung mga malalaki na planta, it will be able to supply the full requirement of the power users in Mindanao," Exconde said.
She said Mindanao might have a similar scenario with Visayas, wherein they observed an increase in the power demand the power supply goes up.
Exconde said that starting this year Mindanao will have a better power situation with the entry of new power plants starting this year.
For 2015 alone, a total of 415.2 MW will go online while some 840 MW will go online in 2016 and 744 MW on 2017.
Coming in 2015 are the 300 MW coal-fired plant of Therma South Inc. in Davao City and Sta. Cruz Davao del Sur; the first 100 MW unit of the 200 MW Southern Mindanao coal-fired power plant of the Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC) in Sarangani; 5.2 MW bunker fired power plant of Peak Power San Francisco (PSFI) in San Francisco, Davao del Sur; and the 10 MW biomass power plant of Lamasan Power Corporation in Sultan Kudarat.
In 2016, boosting the Mindanao grid are the 300 MW SMC Davao Power Plant Project Phase I of the San Miguel Consolidated (SMC) Power Corporation in Malita, Davao del Sur; 405 MW Misamis Circulating Fluidized Bed coal-fired power plant of FDC Utilities at the Phividec Industrial Estate, Misamis Oriental; the second 100 MW unit of the 200 MW Southern Mindanao coal-fired power plant of the SEC in Sarangani; 25 MW Lake Mainit Hydropower plant of Agusan Power Corporation in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte; and the 10 MW Multi Feedstock Power Generating Facility (Biomass Energy) of the Malaybalay Bioenergy Corporation in Maramag, Bukidnon.
In 2017, a total of 744 MW will be going online to the Mindanao grid, coming from the 9 MW Limbatangon Hydroelectric Power Project of the Turbinse Resource and Development Corp. in Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental; 165 MW coal-fired power plant of the Minergy Coal Corporation in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental; 30 MW Puyo Hydroelectric Power Project of the First Gen Mindanao Hydropower Corp. in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte; and the 540 MW coal-fired power plant of the GN Power Kauswagan Ltd. Co. in Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte.