Additional 1MW as power plant opens in Bogo City

CEBU, Philippines - The Libertad Natural Gas Power Plant formally opened in Bogo City yesterday to supply an additional 1-megawatt power supply to Cebu Electric Cooperative (Cebeco) II.

Local officials welcomed the operation of the power plant, saying it has been a long dream of Bogo City to have natural gas developed in the area.

Bogo City Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. said that since 1950s, at least two contractors tried to explore the idea of developing natural gas but to no avail until the Forum Exploration, Inc. came.

Though the power plant can only supply 1-MW, Martinez said they are already happy about it as the contractor assured more drillings in the nearby barangay of Marangog soon.

“Let us think of the big thing that we can help our country and especially the Province of Cebu. In a little way nakahatag ta og power generation,” Martinez said.

Desco, Inc. owns the power plant embedded in the distribution system of Cebeco II via a distribution feeder at the 13.2 kV side. The plant testing and commissioning were completed in October 2011.

Cebeco II General Manager Engr. Peter Señeres said they have a total requirement of about 41-MW while Desco only supplies 1-MW.

“Gamay ra gyud ang impact pero makatabang na sa stability sa supply labi na sa Bogo kon duna mga problema sa Visayas Grid kay direct man ang supply sa distribution system sa Cebeco II,” Señeres told The Freeman.

The 1-MW power can supply an average of 500 households, Señeres said. Desco is selling at P5.50 per kilowatt hour to Cebeco II lower than the rates of other power generation sources at P7 to P8.

“Kining natural gas maayo gyud unta og mao ni ato major source of power supply kay bubarato gyud ni siya,” said Randy Perez, municipal secretary of the Municipality of Medellin and vice chairman of the Board of Directors of Cebeco II.

Forum Exploration vice president Dan Carlos said the undertaking is historical in the sense that it is the third in the whole country and second in the on-shore gas field.

Carlos said they will observe the performance of the power plant, hoping to add capacity in the next six months. Carlos said the present supply could last up to five years.

Desco President Sherwin Mendiola said they are targeting 100-MW more natural gas in the entire country by exploring more sources.

Engr. Redentor Pascual, supervisor for chemical and natural gas division of Department of Energy central office, urged local government officials to continue their support to the projects of DOE like in Bogo City.

Martinez said the operation of the power plant in the city has little impact in terms of share of revenues. The national government will be receiving 60 percent of the revenues and 40 percent of which goes to the local government. (FREEMAN)