Coal-fired plant to augment power supply in Mindanao

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
THE operation of AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South Inc. (TSI) coal-fired power plant will augment the power supply in Mindanao, the Department of Energy (DOE)–Mindanao field office said.
DOE Mindanao science research specialist II Engr. Glenn Jay Reston said the plant will address power supply demand in Mindanao especially during the summer when power supply is insufficient.
“It can supply the Mindanao grid to add power supply in order to avoid brownouts during the summer season,” Reston said in the vernacular.
He said that presently, Mindanao is still coping with power supply insufficiency due to lack of base load power plants.
TSI had announced that the power plant is expected to start its reliability run in the first half of April. During the tests, the power plant can deliver power to the grid, which can be availed of by its customers.
TSI president and Chief Operating Officer Benjamin A. Cariaso Jr., said customers should be able to start receiving power from the plant by April on a scaled basis.
“The timing could not have been better as the coming summer months are expected to affect the power output of Mindanao’s hydro power plants. Therma South will be able to assist our customers to cope with the demand for power,” Cariaso said.
TSI said the plant is scheduled to synchronize with the Mindanao grid by Holy Week, taking one step closer to full commercial operations.
Full commercial operations of the first unit will start after the reliability test is successfully completed. The second 150-MW is also on track to meet its scheduled commercial operations timeline.
The planned synchronization is currently being coordinated with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
TSI said that there are more than 20 distribution utilities and electric cooperatives have signed up to receive capacity from Therma South.
It said that the power plant capacity has been “sold out” since 2014. At its peak some 4,000 workers mostly from Davao City and Sta. Cruz Davao del Sur worked to complete the project, which was seen as one of the most critical long term solutions to the Mindanao power crisis.
Its customers include the DavaoLight and Power, Cagayan de Oro Electric Power Co. and Cotabato Light franchise areas. It will also serve electric cooperatives serving the cities of Gen. Santos, Butuan, Tagum, Kidapawan, Mati, Koronadal, Surigao and Digos, among others,
It will serve the Zamboanga provinces, Misamis, the whole of Agusan and Surigao provinces, the Davao region, North and South Cotabato and parts of Bukidnon and Misamis.
The company has earlier announced the expansion of the power plant to 645-MW.