DOE draws up blueprint for Mindoro energy dev’t

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Energy (DOE) is crafting an energy blueprint for Mindoro to maximize the island province’s energy resource potential, which could help improve energy security in the region, Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said.

The so-called Mindoro Energy Plan, which aims to achieve the potential of the island in harboring energy sources for the region’s security and sustainability, is set to be completed early next year.

Petilla, together with Oriental Mindoro Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr., and Occidental Mindoro Gov. Mario Gene Mendiola conceptualized the Mindoro energy blueprint.

 In crafting the plan, the Mindoro Energy Technical Working Group (ME-TWG) conducted a series of plant visits in the Visayas. The group surveyed different plants in the country to see if such technologies are applicable in the island province.

“We cannot only visit normal plants as we are gearing towards long term energy plans, what we need is to explore the new plants that employ the best technologies within our reach... from there we can be assured that the energy plan will not be wasted,” Petilla said.

The group was led and organized by the Energy Policy and Planning Bureau – Planning Division (EPPB-PD) of the DOE. Their visits covered Cebu Energy Development Corp.’s Toledo coal-fired power plant in Cebu and Energy Development Corp.’s Tongonan geothermal plant.