Iloilo-based power firm to expand capacity

BACOLOD City, Philippines--Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) is expanding its capacity by 150 megawatts (MW) with the development of its  Unit 3 project scheduled to start operations by June 2016 in Barangay Ingore La Paz District , Iloilo City.

PEDC has an existing 164-MW plant on the same site.

PEDC senior manager for commercial operations Gil Altamira said in a recent press briefing here Tuesday that the expansion project is envisioned to supply the growing power demands of Panay and Negros Islands at a cost-efficient rate at P5.05 kilowatt per hour.

He said the signing ceremony for the electric power purchase agreement with Panay Guimaras Power Consortium (PGPC) would be held at Boracay Regency Hotel, in Boracay Island, Aklan on April 11.

PEDC has been offering to supply  power to the distribution utilities in Negros Occidental, including the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco).

Altamira said there is stable power supply for Western Visayas though it has a thin reserve, unlike in Mindanao and Luzon where there is power shortage.

He added that PEDC is confident that its additional investment would further fuel economic growth in Western Visayas.