Transfer of 18-MW power plant to Boracay mulled

The government is looking at the possibility of transferring an 18-megawatt (MW) power plant of the San Roque multi-purpose project in Nueva Ecija to the island resort of Boracay to help alleviate the existing power problem in the tourist spot.

"We expect to finalize the plan within the next two weeks," a highly-placed source told The STAR.

"The plan is to transfer the power plant – local, stock and barrel – just like what we are going to do with the Pinamucan plant from Batangas to Dingle in Iloilo," the source said.

According to the source, the plan is now being evaluated in Malacañang with the proponents of the San Roque project.

The source, however, said the exact location for the transfer has yet to be firmed up.

"We have yet to identify the exact place. Most of the time, there were disagreements on putting a power plant in the island because of environmental issues," the source said.

Despite an excess capacity of 1,253 MW as of end-2001, blackouts will still occur in the Visayas region, starting from the Panay islands (Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo and Guimaras) in 2004 due to the rapid growth in demand.

For Panay alone, there is a foreseen seven-percent annual average power growth rate from 178 MW in 2002 to 190 MW in 2003, 204 MW in 2004 and will further climb to 220 MW in 2005. For the entire Visayas region, a total of 360 MW of additional capacity will be needed for the next 10 years.

Aside from the plan to transfer one unit of San Roque to Boracay, there are at least three more power deals being worked out by the government to help bridge the power gap in the Visayas. These include: the 7.5-MW Trans-Asia Diesel Power Plant to be installed in Boracay in March 2004; the 50-MW Victorias Bioenergy in Negros by October 2006; and the 100-MW Southern Leyte geothermal power project by April 2004.

Mirant Philippines will also put up a 12.5-MW power plant in Aklan province, investing P600 million. Two separate power generation facilities – a 7.5-MW plant and a five-MW facility – will be constructed and operated by Mirant under a 20-year build own operate (BOO) agreement with Aklan Electric Cooperative Inc. (Akelco). The proposed facilities, to be located in Nabas and New Washington towns, respectively, in the Aklan mainland, are expected to help ease the power problem in Boracay.