Government exploring all geothermal fields

The government is exploring all geothermal fields in the Visayas for possible construction of geothermal power plants not only to address the increasing demand for power here but also to save money.

National Transmission Corporation president Alan Ortiz yesterday said that by operating geothermal plants, in the Visayas alone, the government could save as much as P7.2 billion a year in fuel costs.

"Cebu does not have a hydro so we explore geothermal. So as a matter of necessity, we explore renewable energy sources," he said.

Ortiz said that among the projects that they are focusing on now is the construction of the Leyte-Mindanao interconnection, which is expected to provide additional power to Mindanao with around 200MW to 400MW capacity.

He said the Philippine National Oil Company and the Energy Development Corporation are now doing explorations in the geothermal fields in Cabalian, Leyte to determine the size of the steam field.

Ortiz said that the 42-kilometer submarine cable would extend from Cabalian to north of Ormoc, Surigao del Norte and end up in Misamis Oriental and is expected to increase the power supply in Mindanao.

According to Ortiz, the original timetable for the project's completion is by 2008 but the development and construction alone would take about five years. The project was already discussed quite a long time ago but was deferred due to financial concerns.

The estimated original cost of the project was $400 million but Ortiz said they would reduce the cost by putting one set of submarine cable from Leyte to Mindanao instead of two. With just one set of transmission cable, the price of the project would be reduced to half.

Meanwhile, Transco officials also announced yesterday that before the end of the month, the Leyte-Cebu Interconnection Uprating Project, which is expected to double the carrying capacity of the existing cables from 200MW to 400MW, would be inaugurated and operational.

Wenifredo Pangilinan, Transco's vice president for engineering said all the works for the project are 100 percent done and they are expected to energize it by August 23.

He said all the equipment in their cable terminal stations in Tabango, Leyte and Talisay, Daanbantayan, Cebu were already tested and readied for operation.

"We can say with great pride that we have resolved the power situation in Cebu and the rest of the Visayas," Ortiz said.- Wenna A. Berondo