Napocor pursues rural power plants

MANILA, Philippines—Despite difficulties in sourcing funds, state-run National Power Corp. said it intended to put up new and additional power-generation facilities on the far-flung islands and remote areas not connected to the three main grids.

The cash-strapped Napocor, through its small power utilities group (SPUG), will push for projects that can increase the capacities of existing facilities within the year. It will also put up new power plants that are expected to be completed also in 2011, but may likely be commissioned by next year.

Based on the report submitted by the SPUG group, the increase in the capacities within the SPUG areas are expected to reach as much as 2,164 kilowatts (kW) or 2.16 megawatts (MW).

According to SPUG, current projects will increase the capacities of four diesel-fired power plants (DPP) in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi by 1,108 kW (or 1.11 MW) combined.

In particular, the capacity of the Basilan DPP will increase by another 545 kW; Luuk DPP in Sulu, by 163 kW; West Simunul DPP and Balimbing DPP, both in Tawi-Tawi, by 163 kW and 150 kW, respectively.

Scheduled to be commissioned in 2011 are six new power plants in Masbate with a total rated capacity of 390 kW. These are located in Dangcalan, Malaking Ilog, Mababang Baybay, Osmeña, Quezon and Peñafrancia. Another 60-kW new power plant in Batag, Northern Samar, is likewise scheduled for commissioning this year.

Meanwhile, five new power plants in Samar with a combined capacity of 366 kW are expected to be completed before the end of June, while a 240-kW facility in Maconacon, Isabela, is scheduled to be completed by July this year.

Earlier this year, Napocor found itself unable to pay the fuel suppliers for its SPUG facilities due to budgetary constraints, resulting in the utility being barred to conduct any fundraising activities and the lower charges being collected from power consumers for missionary electrification.