FOUR firms have expressed interest to participate in next year’s auction of the 650-megawatt (MW) Malaya Thermal Power Plant (MTPP) Complex.
According to Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corp., APT Global Inc., Phinma Energy Corp., Riverbend Consolidated Mining Corp. and AC Energy Holdings Inc. submitted letters of interest on December 20, the deadline set by the state firm.
PSALM Officer in Charge Lourdes Alzona said the bids will be evaluated in preparation for the auction set on March 8, 2017.
The bidders can conduct the due diligence up to March 6, 2017, while a bid conference will be held on January 6 next year.
The power plant would be privatized on an “as is, where is” basis.
PSALM manages the assets and liabilities of National Power Corp., as mandated by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001.
Situated in Pililia, Rizal province, the Malaya plant was rehabilitated in 1995 by the Korea Electric Power Corp. under a 15-year rehabilitate-operate-manage-maintain agreement. It consists of a 300-MW unit, with a once-through type boiler and a 350-MW unit fitted with a conventional boiler.
Malaya currently serves as a security plant, as it was designated as a Must Run Unit (MRU) meant to address any instability or supply deficiency that may occur as a result of the sudden unavailability of any operating power plants in the grid.
The MTPP will continue operating as an MRU until it is privatized.