First Gen all set for P6 billion hydro development

MANILA, Philippines — Lopez-led First Gen Corp. is now ready to begin developing its planned P6-billion pumped storage hydro (PSH) project in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija.

This follows the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), paving the way for the construction of the 120-megawatt (MW) Aya PSH facility.

The MOA authorizes First Gen to develop, operate and maintain the project while granting the clearance and endorsement to secure all required permits and regulatory approvals.

The agreement will remain in effect for 25 years, with an option to renew it for another 25 years.

“We reaffirm our shared commitment to advancing sustainable development, strengthening energy security and maximizing the benefits of our water resources for future generations through the development of the Aya project,” NIA administrator Eddie Guillen said.

Targeted for commercial operations by 2030, the Nueva Ecija project will utilize the Aya and Masiway reservoirs to pump, store and recycle water for power generation.

“More facilities with storage and highly flexible operating parameters are key to stabilizing the electricity grid in terms of addressing load variation and shifting energy supply to support evening peak demand,” First Gen senior vice president Dennis Michael Gonzales said.

“Project Aya will provide more resources for the NIA to effectively manage valuable water resources,” Gonzales added.

A flagship project of First Gen, the Aya PSH facility is designed to optimize the operations of the company’s two existing hydropower assets in the area – the 132-MW Pantabangan-Masiway plant and the 165-MW Casecnan plant.

A PSH facility can function as energy storage to complement generation from variable renewable sources while also injecting power into the grid to reinforce supply.

First Gen remains the country’s third-largest power producer with a market share of 10.74 percent, even after selling the majority stake in its gas business, Energy Regulatory Commission data showed.

First Gen all set for P6 billion hydro development

Brix

MANILA, Philippines — Lopez-led First Gen Corp. is now ready to begin developing its planned P6-billion pumped storage hydro (PSH) project in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija.

This follows the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), paving the way for the construction of the 120-megawatt (MW) Aya PSH facility.

The MOA authorizes First Gen to develop, operate and maintain the project while granting the clearance and endorsement to secure all required permits and regulatory approvals.

The agreement will remain in effect for 25 years, with an option to renew it for another 25 years.

“We reaffirm our shared commitment to advancing sustainable development, strengthening energy security and maximizing the benefits of our water resources for future generations through the development of the Aya project,” NIA administrator Eddie Guillen said.

Targeted for commercial operations by 2030, the Nueva Ecija project will utilize the Aya and Masiway reservoirs to pump, store and recycle water for power generation.

“More facilities with storage and highly flexible operating parameters are key to stabilizing the electricity grid in terms of addressing load variation and shifting energy supply to support evening peak demand,” First Gen senior vice president Dennis Michael Gonzales said.

“Project Aya will provide more resources for the NIA to effectively manage valuable water resources,” Gonzales added.

A flagship project of First Gen, the Aya PSH facility is designed to optimize the operations of the company’s two existing hydropower assets in the area – the 132-MW Pantabangan-Masiway plant and the 165-MW Casecnan plant.

A PSH facility can function as energy storage to complement generation from variable renewable sources while also injecting power into the grid to reinforce supply.

First Gen remains the country’s third-largest power producer with a market share of 10.74 percent, even after selling the majority stake in its gas business, Energy Regulatory Commission data showed.