THE Department of Energy (DOE) has cleared 8 power projects, with capacities reaching nearly 2,600megawatts (MW), for the conduct of grid impact studies (GIS).
As of April, the agency issued permits to GNPower Ltd. Co., Ingrid3 Power Corp., 5 Barracuda Energy Corp., Camsur II Wind Energy Corp., Giga Ace6, Inc., Verdecore and Therma Power Visayas, Inc.
Prior to construction, a power firm must secure the go-ahead of the DOE for it to conduct a GIS. This is necessary in determining if the electricity to be generated by the power project can be absorbed by the country’s transmission system.
Among the biggest power projects in the list are the 1,250MW Stellar Land Dual-Fuel Power Plant of Ingrid3 in Tabangao, Batangas and the 1,200MW GNPower Sisiman LNG Combined Cycle Power Plant in Mariveles, Bataan of GNPower.
GN Power also plans to put up a 600MW LNG Combined Cycle Power Plant in Lanao del Norte.
Ingrid3 is a unit of AC Energy while GNPower is a joint venture of AC Energy and Aboitiz Power subsidiary Therma Power and Power Partners.
Giga Ace is building the 335MW Isla Wind Power Project in Mauban, Quezon.
Other projects in the list are the 300MW Laguna Lake-Los Banos Solar Power Project of 5 Barracuda, 50MW Bay Energy Storage Project of Camsur II Wind Energy Corp., 42MW Pandora 2 Integrated Energy Storage Project of Therma Power, and the 62.5MWP Luntal Bayudbod Solar Power Project of Verdecore.
They received the green light of the DOE for the conduct of their respective GIS in April.
In all, the DOE has issued clearance to 24 power projects from January to April. If these will all push through, the country is assured of over 9,000MW of additional power generating capacity.