BY SAMMY JULIAN
ITS first 135-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant project in Brgy. Nipa, Concepcion, Iloilo is yet to be completed but Palm Concepcion Power Corp. (PCPC) said it is ready for the challenge made by Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla to build a second coal plant to cope with the increasing electricity demand in the Visayas.
PCPC President Roel Z. Castro made this bold statement during the recent time capsule laying and dedication of the company’s Concepcion facility which will be completed either in late 2015 or early 2016.
During his speech at the said event, Secretary Petilla said he was not asking the A. Brown Co., Inc. subsidiary when the first power plant will be commissioned but when the second unit will be built.
He said the Department of Energy (DOE) has foreseen sudden growth in energy demand in the Visayas starting this year because of simultaneous developments in the key cities of Cebu, Iloilo and Bacolod.
According to Petilla, it is not about whether they need the power plant, it is about timing and building it at the right time.
Right now, he said, is really the right time because the region needs additional power. Castro immediately gave Petilla an answer: PCPC is ready for the challenge provided there will be demand. He said the company has signed power purchase agreements with 11 electric cooperatives and distribution utilities in the Visayas.
A year ago, Castro emphasized that from a dream they laid down last year, the project is finally turning into a reality.
The time capsule placement ceremony marked the advancement of the project’s implementation.
It also re-affirmed the company’s commitment to empower Iloilo and the whole Visayas by delivering the generation capacity requirements of the region by 2016.
The event likewise highlighted the efforts of the local government of Iloilo and the valuable support of all stakeholders instrumental in making the project possible.
Among the guests were Senate President Franklin Drilon, Energy Secretary Petilla, Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., Cong. Niel Tupas Jr. of the 5th District of Iloilo, Cong. rcadio Gorriceta of the 2nd District of Iloilo, Gov. Florencio Miraflores of Aklan and Concepcion’s Mayor Milliard Villanueva.
For this state-of-the-art facility, PCPC partnered with global industry leaders to ensure that the 135-MW coal-fired power plant will be the most advanced and most fuel-efficient in the Visayas.
The Concepcion power plant project will have SNC-Lavalin of Canada as the owner’s engineer and project manager, and will use European technology from Alstom Power for its steam turbine and generator.
For the coal unloading facility, PCPC contracted Frey-Fil Corporation, the country’s leader in the field of pre-cast and pre-stressed concrete.
UKC Builders Inc./Techno-Stress Systems Corp. handled the piling of the project.
In addition, PCPC also partnered with Sycamore Global Shipping, the latter being the country’s leading provider of energy logistics.
Philinsure, one of the most reputable and well-managed insurance brokers in the country, was also engaged to provide their services and expertise to the company.
PCPC secured approved loan facilities from BDO Unibank, China Banking Corp. and Asia United Bank. The loan will be used to finance the engineering, procurement, construction and financing cost of the first unit of the power plant project.
PCPC is a joint venture between Palm Thermal Consolidated Holdings Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of A. Brown Company, Inc. and Jin Navitas Resource Inc. Again, we congratulate PCPC./PN
