THE first unit of Sarangani Energy Corp.’s (SEC) 210-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant is set for commissioning in the first semester of this year, reported SEC’s parent firm Alsons Power.
The 105-MW power facility is 89-percent complete. After the plant commissioning, its commercial operations is scheduled to start in October this year. The power plant is expected to reach its full capacity of 210 MW within the fourth quarter of 2016.
The plant’s initial output of 105 MW will provide power for roughly 3.47 million residents from Sarangani province, General Santos City, Iligan City, as well as key areas in South Cotabato, Compostela Valley, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Davao del Norte.
Another 3.8 million residents of Cotabato, South Cotabato and Zamboanga del Norte will also benefit from the project once it runs its full 210-MW capacity in 2016.
The SEC plant is one of the first new base-load power plants to operate this year, and is seen to help provide a sustainable and lasting solution to the 4-year-old Mindanao power shortage.
At $570 million, the SEC plant is the single-largest investment in the province of Sarangani and the entire Region 12, or Soccsksargen.
Aside from this, Alsons Power is developing the 105-MW San Ramon Power Inc. coal-fired power plant in Zamboanga City with construction slated to commence on the second half of 2015 and expected to begin operating in 2018.
Alsons Power currently operates three diesel plants in Mindanao: the Mapalad Power Corp.’s 103-MW plant in Iligan City; the 55-MW Southern Philippines Power Corp. facility in Alabel, Sarangani; and the 100-MW power plant of the Western Mindanao Power Corp. in Zamboanga City.
All three diesel plants are contributing in the alleviation of the power shortage in Mindanao.