DOE eyes conversion of Sucat plant into gas-fired facility

The Department of Energy (DOE) is considering the possibility of converting the 600-megawatt Sucat oil-fired power plant into a gas-fired facility from Batangas to Manila.

Energy Undersecretary Jose Emmanuel De Dios said Sucat is being eyed as one of the potential anchor loads to justify the building of gas pipelines from Batangas to Manila.

But De Dios said based on the DOE’s forecast, Sucat may come on stream by 2008, in time to meet additional demand in the Luzon grid.

It is seen that Luzon will suffer massive power outages in 2008 if the estimated increase in electricity demand of 7,150 MW for the next 10 years will not be addressed.

He said they are looking at the possibility of producing 300 MW from a new Sucat power plant in 2008 and another 600 MW in 2009.

"It may seem a long time period but you are looking at starting construction by 2003 which the President (Arroyo) is very keen to have. It is not very long. It’s a five-year window that should take care of your pipeline construction, completion and power plant conversion," he said.

Sucat, which has been decommissioned a few years ago, is an ideal site for a new natural gas plant in Metro Manila.

Once sold to private investors in the course of the privatization of Napocor, Sucat will carry a condition that this should be converted into natural gas-powered facility.

This early, a number of prospective investors are already expressing keen interest to bid for the power plant. Among those interested are the Shell Petroleum Exploration B.V. (SPEX) and First Gas Power Corp.

SPEX, a member of the Royal Dutch Shell group, is a major operator in the $4.5-billion Malampaya Deep Water Gas to Power project while First Gas is the natural-gas development arm of the Lopez group.

Aside from Sucat, there are other power plants that are being eyed to be converted into natural gas facilities such as the Limay and Malaya power plants in Bataan.

"By 2003, we can see some firm commitments and some firm activities proceeding forward," De Dios said, on the prospects of converting these gas-fired power plants.