Global Power to build 2 plants

 CEBU, Philippines - The Global Business Power Corp. will build additional plants to cater to the growing power needs of Cebu and Panay.

In a press conference yesterday, GBP president Arthur N. Aguilar revealed that the company will soon start the construction of an 82-megawatt plant in Toledo City.

At present, GBP has an existing 60-megawatt plant.

The company will also be building its third coal-fired plant in Panay.

Aguilar said, they will invest about P8 billion to P10 billion for each plant.

The two projects may be the company’s last investments in power generation operation in the Visayas, as it has almost hit the limit of 30 percent as required by the Electric Power Industry Reform ACt (EPIRA).

But the additional capacity of the Toledo Power Plant will only serve two clients - the Carmen Copper Corporation and the Cebu Electric Cooperative (Cebeco).

Although the plan is already final, Aguilar did not divulge more details of the two projects.

But he revealed if the projects will start within the year, it will be operational in two to three years.

From 2006 to 2010, GBP has invested P40 billion to P50 billion in the Visayas for its Cebu and Panay power plants.

Aside from the Toledo Power Plant, GBP has existing partnership with the Aboitiz Group through the Cebu Energy Development Corporation (CEDC), which is now providing 246-MW for Cebu.  (FREEMAN)