PRESIDENT Duterte on Wednesday led the inauguration of the country’s first and largest hybrid solar diesel microgrid with battery facility located in Tablas Island, Romblon.
Owned and operated by Suweco Tablas Energy Corp. (STEC), the P550-million Tumingad Solar Power Plant can produce 7.5 megawatt peak of electricity—enough to supply the daytime power requirements of the island’s 43,400 households.
During cloudy weather, excess solar power stored in the plant’s batteries will supply energy, while diesel generators will produce electricity at night.
STEC is scheduled to commence commercial operations by September. The company said its power plant is expected to save about 3 million liters of fossil fuel and reduce carbon emissions by 6.5 million kilograms per year.
“An estimated P180 million per year will be saved from the government subsidy for universal charge for missionary electrification,” STEC said.
Located on a 9-hectare property in Tablas, STEC’s solar facility is committed to provide clean, green and reliable energy to the entire island.
The power plant’s inauguration comes on the heels of Duterte’s call to the Department of Energy to facilitate the development of renewable-energy resources to reduce the country’s dependence on traditional energy sources like coal.
“We
recognize the urgent need to ensure the sustainability and availability of
resources and the development of alternative ones. In this regard, I trust that
Secretary Cusi shall fast-track the development of renewable-energy sources,
and reduce dependence on the traditional energy sources such as coal,” the
President said in his State of the Nation Address last July.
In Tablas alone, some 43,400 households experience daily power outages due to limited supply from state-owned National Power Corp. Small Power Utilities Group. SPUG areas are those that are not connected to the national grid and therefore depend on diesel-power sets.
STEC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sunwest Water and Electric Co. Inc., a major power player in Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Romblon and Antique which operates several mini-hydro and diesel power plants. The firm is a member of the Sunwest Group of Co., a business conglomerate founded by Zaldy Co., a Legazpi-based entrepreneur and businessman who is now representative of the Ako Bicol Party-list.