DOE clears 9 firms for grid impact study

MANILA, Philippines – Nine firms have been cleared by the Department of Energy (DOE) in the last quarter of 2015 to conduct a grid impact study (GIS) for nearly 500 megawatts (MW) of power projects.

The grid impact study is necessary in determining if the electricity to be generated by the power project can be absorbed by the grid.

DOE data as of end-December showed these projects are seen to generate 499.2 MW of power.

The largest project in the lot is the 300-MW coal-fired thermal power plant  of Ludo Power Corp. in Cebu City.

Meanwhile, the 100-MW solar farm of CEKO Solar Farm Systems Corp. in Cebu is the only solar-powered project.

DMCI Power Corp. is planning to build a 46-MW gas turbine power project in Calaca, Batangas.

There are two biomass power projects, namely the 12-MW napier grass-fired biomass power plant in Llanera, Nueva Ecija by Grassgold Renewable Energy Corp. and the 12-MW biomass-fired power plant by Manolo Fortich Renewable Energy Corp. in Bukidnon.

The DOE also cleared two hydropower projects, the 5.4-MW Talubin hydropower facility of Mountain Province Electric Cooperative Inc., and the Ibulao I hydroelectric power project of Kiangan Mini-Hydro Corp. in Ifugao.

King Energy Generation Inc. and Datem Energy Corp. were also given GIS clearance for their 7.8 MW diesel plant in Jimenez, Misamis Oriental and 10-MW diesel power facility in Northern Samar, respectively.

For the whole of 2015, the DOE has given GIS clearance to 133 projects.