EDC speeds up restoration of Leyte power plants

MANILA, Philippines - Lopez-owned Energy Development Corp. (EDC) has energized one unit of its Malitbog power plant in Leyte as part of the restoration of the Unified Leyte Power Plants, the single biggest source of electricity in the Visayas, which were damaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) yesterday, EDC said it has been able to speed up the restoration process for the power facilities.

“We had been able to speed up the restoration process by utilizing existing spares available from EDC’s warehouse facilities and through the early deliveries from our suppliers. EDC will now begin the reliability run and return to service of the mentioned 75 megawatt unit of the Malitbog power plant in coordination with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines,” EDC said.

The company also earlier restored the Tongonan power plant in addition to the previously restored Upper Mahiao and Leyte optimization plants.

The Unified Leyte plants consist of the 130-MW Upper Mahiao, 232-MW Malitbog, 180-MW Mahanagdong and 112.5-MW Tongonan power plants.

Yolanda, which struck central Visayas on Nov. 8, damaged EDC’s Unified Leyte power plants.

EDC has targeted to dispatch 147 MW of capacity from the Unified Leyte units into the Visayas grid by the end of last year.

In late November, EDC has partially re-commissioned the plant and was able to dispatch 57 MW into the Visayas grid after successful reliability runs.

Because of the damage sustained by its facilities, EDC has formally written the National Power Corp. regarding the force majeure provisions of its power purchase agreement.

EDC has not given a date yet on when it can fully finish the repairs but assured that it is stepping up efforts to fully rehabilitate the plant.