Vivant to spend P2 billion for 2 power projects

MANILA, Philippines — Cebu-based Vivant Energy Corp. and Gigawatt Power Inc. are spending nearly P2 billion next year for two power projects in Pampanga and Palawan.

After completing the diesel plant in Bantayan Island in Cebu, the partners will start focusing on the Pampanga and Palawan projects early next year, Gigawatt Power president and CEO Walden Tantuico said.

“We’re really looking at building the two other power plants we’ve been awarded power supply agreements (PSAs). These are the ones in Pampanga supplying PELCO II and the hybrid plants in Culion and Linapacan islands. Those are the two that are in the immediate pipeline,” he said.

The Culion and Linapacan hybrid power plant costs around P800 million while the Pampanga diesel plant has a capital expenditure of around P1.1 billion, Vivant Energy EVP and COO Emil Andre Garcia said.

He said the team up is looking to break ground for the Palawan hybrid power plant within the first quarter while the Pampanga project is targeted to commence construction within the first half of next year.

“For Pampanga, our group won the bid supply for Pampanga Electric Cooperative II (PELCO II). We signed a PSA last June 2021. We’re currently developing that,” Garcia said.

“Another project I’d like to highlight as well is (the) Culion (and Linapacan) project with Busuanga Island Electric Cooperative Inc. (BISELCO). We’re hoping to ground break by early next year. That plant really excites us because that’s a hybrid plant that we’re developing in Culion and Linapacan,” he said.

The project, under Culion Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC), is a six-megawatt (MW) hybrid solar and diesel plant.

“That would have a battery component of 2.3 megawatt-hours (MWh). For the solar and diesel components, it’s close to three MW for both diesel and solar,” Garcia said.

Once completed, the CREC will deliver 50:50 fossil fuel and solar power to BISELCO.

“Over the life of the contract, the hybrid facility will deliver 50:50, 50 percent based on fossil-fuel generation and 50 percent based on solar energy. It’s one of those high output renewable plants,” Tantuico said.

Meanwhile, the Pampanga power plant will serve the requirements of PELCO II.

The partners are building a 3x5.76-MW diesel fuel fired power plant under a build operate owned program in Porac, Pampanga.

Earlier this week, Isla Norte Energy Corp. (INEC), a joint venture of Vivant Energy and Gigawatt Power, inaugurated its first power plant in Bantayan Island, Cebu which is seen to address the power woes in the emerging tourism hub.

The company spent P1.6 billion for the 23.3-MW diesel engine power plant in Barangay Kabangbang and will supply the long-term total power requirements of Bantayan Island.

INEC completed the testing and commissioning of its engines last month, during which it was able to augment the island’s power supply during shortages. It was issued a provisional authority to operate the power plant by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) last Oct. 28.

It is waiting for the issuance of a provisional authority from the ERC for its PSA with Bantayan Electric Cooperative Inc. (BANELCO) to start supplying power to the island.

The company was awarded a 15-year PSA to fulfill the demand of BANELCO following a successful competitive selection process.