BACOLOD City—The 132.5-megawatt solar farm in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental has connected to the grid and started its operations ahead of its inauguration on March 3.
Mayor Patrick Escalante said the P10-billion solar power facility is now serving Negrense consumers through various distribution utilities after it connected to the Visayas grid on Feb. 13.
Situated on a 176-hectare land in Tinampaan village, the solar farm developed by Soleq Holdings will become the biggest in Southeast Asia and the seventh largest in the world once it is formally inaugurated next week.
Soleq is the solar power arm of Singapore-based Equis Funds group, Asia’s largest independent energy and infrastructure private equity fund manager.
“Negros Occidental is using about 200 MW per hour, and half of it is being supplied by renewable energy sources, including solar,” Escalante said, adding that the province’s 70-percent consumption during daytime is being supplied, mainly, by solar.
The mayor said the solar project will also spark opportunities for more investments, not only for Cadiz City but also for the entire Negros Occidental.
Some international investors are attending the unveiling rites, he said.
Also attending are officials of the Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, and Philippine Economic Zone Authority.