French firm wants part in Negros power project

Alstom Philippines, Inc. (API), a subsidiary of French power giant Alstom, has expressed keen interest in participating in the development of the Pulo Pandan power project in Negros Occidental.

"We are interested in the Pulo Pandan project. We want to take part in its development," API country chairman David Gilles, said, adding that Pulo Pandan is a 50-MW coal-fired power plant that is expected to help ease up the possible power deficit of the Visayas region in 2004.

The project is still in the planning stage and the proponents of the project are still eyeing possible joint venture partners. Industry sources said one of the possible investors includes API.

Aside from Pulo Pandan, the other identified project that would solve the expected power shortage in the province is the 40 MW geothermal power plant in Mt. Kanlaon.

Gilles, however, declined to give more details on their expected participation in the power project.

The API official also said that they are also looking into the possibility of participating in the biomass project in Bulacan. Details of their participation in the project will be announced soon, he said.

The 40-MW Bulacan biomass plant is one of the committed generation projects of the private sector for the period 2000 to 2010 and was formerly managed by Enron, the power company that recently folded up its operations in the Philippines.

Biomass fuels are expected to enhance the performance of the agro-industrial sector. As part of the new and renewable energy sources, biomass fuels are mainly by-products of agricultural and industrial activities and its supply depends primarily on the production of primary products such as coconut, rice, sugar, etc.

Aside from these projects, Alstom earlier proposed the use of state-of-the-art waste to energy technology to solve the present garbage crisis in Metro Manila.

Most of the investors in the power sector are eyeing to venture into NRE-related projects since the government itself is trying to promote the use of indigenous sources of energy to lessen dependence on imported fuel oil.