Palm Concepcion invests $280 M in Iloilo coal power plant

MANILA, Philippines – Palm Concepcion Power Corp. (PCPC) has invested $280 million to complete its 135-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Iloilo, which was recently inaugurated by President Duterte.

The power project is expected to speed up economic activities in the Visayas region, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.

“The inauguration of this 135-MW Concepcion power plant is a crucial energy infrastructure project to help sustain the economic growth in the Visayas and we expect to have a livelier business environment in the region,” he said.

The company has spent about $280 million, one of the biggest investments in Iloilo province, company officials said.

The construction and commissioning of the power plant including the transmission facilities were all completed in 37 months, PCPC chairman Walter Brown said.

The power plant utilizes circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) technology from Europe and was built by a Chinese engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, PCPC president and CEO Roel Castro said.

“We are among the few to have used this technology with reheat and as a consequence, we are one of the most fuel efficient plants operating and at the same time compliant with the environmental criteria set by both national and international agencies,“ he said.

“As a result of using the latest and most efficient technologies, we have one of the lowest tariffs in this same class of plants that the consumers are able to enjoy,” Castro said.

Aside from the plant’s contribution in increasing the available power generation capacity in the Visayas, PCPC has also invested in various corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects for its host communities.

Brown said the company invested more than P150 million, “even before the company sold its first kilowatt, for projects like concrete roads, scholarships, livelihood projects, capability building of the local leaders and residents, disaster preparedness, and more importantly massive reforestation and mangrove development.”

At present, the power plant is delivering power generation supply to its customers in Panay, Negros and the rest of Visayas.

PCPC is a joint venture between A Brown Co. Inc. subsidiary Palm Thermal Consolidated Holdings Corp. and Jin Navitas Resource Inc.