The Mindanao Electric Power Alliance (MEPA) has identified two world-class power-generation companies that can supply emergency power to Mindanao.
Speaking at the Club 888 Forum yesterday at The Marco Polo, Davao, Mindanao Business Council (MinBC) chair Vicente Lao said MEPA will hook up with Caterpillar Generation System based in Singapore which can bring in 20 megawatts of power to Mindanao.
The other company is the Hyundai generating company based in South Korea which is ready to generate 10 megawatts of electricity, Lao said.
He said the generating sets of Caterpillar and Hyundai run on diesel fuel.
The two companies have yet to sign an agreement with power distributors and power cooperatives prior to their operations.
Lao said MEPA is looking for more generators as it eyes to bring in at least 200 megawatts of power to keep the businesses operating.
“By end of April Agus-Pulangi hydro power plants will stop operating,” Lao said, adding that Mindanao’s power deficiency remains at 700 megawatts.
He said if no generators come in, Mindanao could experience blackouts during the May 10 elections.
Lao said MEPA submitted its proposals to the government during a meeting in Malacañang last Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by all concerned agencies, including the Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank of the Philippines.
Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza, who represented President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the meeting, gave assurance that MEPA’s proposal will be reviewed.
DBP and LBP for their part, have asked MEPA to come up with figures on the amount needed for the purchase or lease of power generators.
Lao said PLDT has also expressed its willingness to help in the procurement of generating sets.
DBP had earlier given assurance that it is ready to provide funds for the generation of at least 100 megawatt to Mindanao.
DBP president and CEO Rey David said power rates are expected to climb to as high as P21 per kilowatt hour from the current P3 per kilowatt hour once additional generation sets are procured or leased.
Lao confirmed David’s projection but expressed optimism that this will be reduced by about 10 to 11 percent if costly emergency power be blended with cheap power cost.
Lao estimated that a 10-MW emergency power plant will reach an estimated US$9.2 million. |
