Aboitiz expects Ambuklao facility to run by June

MANILA, Philippines - Aboitiz Power Corp. (APC) expects its newly rehabilitated Ambuklao facility to run by June this year, a company official said on Friday.

Emmanuel Rubio, chief executive officer of SN Aboitiz Power-Benguet, which is undertaking the rehab project, said they are on track and the first unit will be commissioned by June 1.

Rubio said they also expect two more units which are under rehabilitationto be completed in the third quarter.

“The second unit (will run) by July and the third unit by August; these three units will add 105 MW to the grid,” Rubio said.

According to Rubio, the rehab of the Binga facility is also expected to commence next month. “The Binga rehab will start April this year, one unit at a time and end by 2013,” he said.

The company, he said, is set to spend a total of around $280 million for the rehab of Ambuklao-Binga hydroelectric power plants.

The 75-MW Ambuklao plant was shut down by National Power Corp. in 1999 due to technical problems. Upon acquisition of the Ambuklao plant, SNAP-Benguet immediately undertook rehabilitation activity to operate the plant again.

Upon rehabilitation, the Ambuklao plant will have a capacity of 105 MW of renewable energy to significantly augment supply of electrical power to the Luzon Grid.

SNAP-Benguet is a joint venture between SN Power of Norway and AboitizPower.   

SNAP-Benguet submitted the highest bid of $325 million for the acquisition of the Ambuklao plant and the 100- MW Binga Hydroelectric Power Plant also located in Itogon, Benguet.