THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has allowed a subsidiary of Energy Development Corp. (EDC) to build a connection facility to link its up to 22-megawatt (MW) Tanawon Geothermal Power Plant in Sorsogon to the Luzon grid.
The ERC authorized Bac-Man Geothermal Inc. (BGI) to develop and own dedicated point-to-point limited transmission facilities to connect the power plant to the grid, according to a document posted on its website.
The company will link the facility to the grid through the 230-kilovolt (kV) Daraga Substation of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, via the 230-kV Palayan Binary Geothermal Power Plant Switchyard and the Bac-Man I 230- kV transmission facilities.
The approval, however, is subject to the conditions and instructions from the commission.
BGI sought the approval of the ERC last year to develop, own, and operate the connection asset.
Based on its application, BGI intends to construct an approximately 7.5-kilometer, 230-kV transmission line, which includes a switchyard and other related facilities.
“The Tanawon Geothermal Power Plant Connection Asset is financially feasible, and BGI has the financial capability to develop, operate, and maintain the connection asset,” the company said.
The cost of constructing and developing the connection asset is estimated at P637.12 million. The power project, including the connection asset, will be funded through cash, it said.
The Tanawon Geothermal Power Plant is part of EDC’s expansion of the 140-MW Bacon-Manito (BacMan) Geothermal Power Plant in Albay.
In July last year, EDC successfully synchronized its 28.9-MW Palayan Binary Geothermal Power Plant to the Luzon grid.
These two projects are among the four geothermal projects in the company’s pipeline. Others include the 28-MW Mahanagdong Binary in Leyte and the 5.6-MW Bago Binary in Negros Occidental.
EDC, the renewable energy arm of Lopez-led First Gen Corp., has an installed capacity of 1,480.19 MW, accounting for about 20% of the country’s total installed renewable energy capacity. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
