First NatGas Power Corp., owned by the Lopez Group, has asked the Energy Regulatory Commission to approve its application to develop a dedicated point-to-point facility to connect its 450-megawatt San Gabriel natural gas project in Batangas province.
First NatGas said in its application it was developing a 450-MW natural gas plant located at the existing 1,000-MW Sta. Rita and 500-MW San Lorenzo natural gas plants also owned by the Lopez Group. The new plant is expected to start commercial operations on April 1, 2016.
“To help address the need for additional capacity in the Luzon grid, FNPC is developing an approximately 450-MW San Gabriel power plant,” it said.
The Energy Department said an additional capacity of 500 MW would be needed by 2016. The projection assumes that the committed plants for 2014 and 2015 would be completed on time.
The company said the cost of the San Gabriel connection facility of P117.55 million was incorporated in the total cost of the equipment and supply contract between First NatGas and Siemens.
The point-to-point transmission line is designed as a connection asset that will connect the plant to the transmission network of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.