AboitizPower sets P7.6 billion solar expansion in Zambales

MANILA, Philippines — Aboitiz Power Corp. is expanding its solar presence in Central Luzon with the planned construction of a P7.6-billion large-scale solar farm in Zambales.

The Olongapo Solar Power Project Phase 2 has a potential capacity of around 179.26 megawatts (MW), AP Renewable Energy Corp. (APREC) said in a filing to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

APREC, a subsidiary of Aboitiz Renewables Inc., said the proposed solar project aims to reinforce the country’s power supply and support the government’s energy transition targets.

Spanning across a 228.86-hectare land in Olongapo City, the project site is accessible via the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway and located around 70.4 kilometers away from the Clark International Airport.

Based on the project’s indicative timeline, construction is expected to begin as early as April next year, with completion targeted for the third quarter of 2027.

The project’s commercial operation, meanwhile, is scheduled for the first quarter of 2028.

APREC said the multibillion-peso investment for this project would cover detailed engineering studies and designs, site preparation, construction, procurement and other environmental monitoring activities.

The proposed facility would require around 1,000 workers during the peak of the construction stage and an average of 200 workers during the normal days, the company noted.