Citicore Power Inc. on Tuesday completed the first 25-megawatt solar power plant in Silay City, Negros Occidental, making it eligible to avail of feed-in tariff incentives.
The 25-MW plant spans 43 hectares and includes over 96,000 photovoltaic modules. It is expected to power 30,000 homes connected to the Visayas grid.
Citicore Power tapped sister unit Megawide Construction Corp. as engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the project.
The plant is expected to help avoid 18,000 metric tons of carbon emissions per year or equivalent to planting 800,000 trees over the life of the facility. Project funding was secured through LandBank of the Philippines.
“This is a very significant milestone for us as we complete the first batch of Citicore’s projects, beginning with the Silay plant,” Citicore Power executive vice-president Manolo Candelaria said in a statement.
Candelaria said Negros Occidental was an optimal location for solar power production.
Energy Department data showed that more than 1,000 MW of solar power would soon come from Negros Occidental, once all targeted projects in the area were commissioned.
Silay City officials welcomed the new plant, saying the Citicore-led project created almost 500 new jobs in the area.
“This facility helps ensure not only the continued supply of electricity for Negros Island but it also boosts Silay City’s position as an ideal location for job-generating green investments,” Silay City Mayor Jose Montelibano said.
Former Negros Occidental Governor Lito Coscolluela, an investment advisor to current Governor Alfredo Maranon Jr., lauded the project as it supports the energy, environment and tourism thrusts of the provincial government.
“This power station firmly puts Silay City and Negros Occidental on the map. It is a big adventure towards a more sustainable future,” he said.
Candelaria said Citicore Power would also launch other solar power projects in key areas of Visayas and Luzon.
“We are also inaugurating a 20-MW solar farm in Bataan by the end of February,” the official said.
Citicore Power committed to mitigating the effects of global warming in the Philippines, which has been hit with abnormally strong typhoons such as typhoon Yolanda.
“I believe the international community has already achieved momentum in the call for renewable energy, especially after the recent Paris Climate Conference,” said Candelaria.
“DOE is leading a bold transition from fossil fuels to clean energy and we are proud to partner with them in this effort and in future collaborations. It is time for us to do our part in reducing carbon emissions and for RE to take center stage in the Philippines,” he said.
Citicore Power is a renewable energy company committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through solar, wind, hydro and biomass projects across the Philippines. It is a subsidiary of Citicore Investment Holdings Inc.