PetroWind dispatches 1st phase of Nabas project

MANILA, Philippines - PetroWind Energy Inc. (PWEI), a listed renewable energy company, said the first phase of its 50-megawatt Nabas wind power project in Aklan has commenced its first dispatch of power to the Visayas grid.

The dispatch came after the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the power grid operator, issued its provisional certificate of approval to PWEI to connect the grid to generate power for testing and commissioning.

PWEI is currently developing Phase 1 of the P4-billion project consisting of 36 MW.

In its disclosure, PetroWind said it was able to dispatch power from the first batch of wind turbine generators, consisting of eight WTGs with a gross capacity of 16 MW.

PWEI president Milagros Reyes said Nabas’ first dispatch of power to the grid signals a positive development for Visayas region.

“PetroWind Energy Inc.’s first dispatch of power to the Visayas grid is a big milestone, not only for the company, but also for the province of Aklan. This is the first export of power from the province of Aklan that is sourced from renewable energy,” she said.

Furthermore, she said the Nabas wind power project would help augment power supply in the Panay area.

“Thus far, the Nabas wind power project is the single biggest investment in renewable energy in Aklan province that has been able to successfully dispatch power to the grid. The timing of this dispatch is perfect, considering that this is the season when power demand is highest in the Panay area,” Reyes said.

The dispatch to the grid comes on the heels of the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) approval of the project last December.

PWEI received the green light from the ERC last December to develop, own, and operate dedicated point-to- point facilities connecting the Nabas wind farm to the NGCP’s Nabas-Caticlan overhead transmission line.

The ERC also approved the commissioning tests of the wind turbines.

PWEI is owned by publicly listed PetroEnergy Resources Corp., through its 100 percent owned subsidiary, PetroGreen Energy Corp. (40 percent), CapAsia ASEAN Wind Holdings Cooperatief U.A. (40 percent), a company organized in the Netherlands, and EEI Power Corp. (20 percent), a wholly-owned subsidiary of publicly listed EEI Corp.