Masinloc Power Partners Co. Ltd. said Wednesday it is set to launch a 600-megawatt expansion program, after the company recently won the bidding to supply 105 MW to eight electric cooperatives.
Masinloc Power Partners, led by AES Philippines, was declared the lowest bidder in the joint competitive selection process to supply the baseload power requirements of eight electric cooperatives belonging to the Region 1 Electric Cooperatives Association and the Cordillera Administrative Region Electric Cooperative Association.
The company said the supply agreement, which would be signed in June, would help ensure a steady supply of energy to provinces and local communities served by the two electric cooperative associations.
“AES Philippines is committed to providing the nation with safe, reliable, and sustainable power. This win establishes our expansion project as the most competitive new capacity in the country, and we are pleased to provide this benefit to the R1+CAR customers,” said AES Philippines managing director Neeraj Bhat said in a statement.
AES Philippines, the local unit of AES Corp. of the US, is the majority owner and operator of Masinloc Power Partners, which owns the 600-MW Masinloc coal-fired power plant. Masinloc Power Partners is embarking on another 600-MW expansion in the same area.
The company is expected to start construction of the P49.5-billion expansion project by the second quarter based on previous records from the Energy Department.
Records showed AES Philippines had already completed the feasibility and grid impact study for the power project, which would bring the Masinloc coal plant’s capacity to 1,200 MW by the third quarter of 2017 and help secure power supply in Luzon.