Another Malitbog power plant unit repaired, says EDC

Another unit of the Malitbog Power Plant in Leyte province has been repaired, giving the facility additional generation capacity more than two months since Supertyphoon “Yolanda” ravaged Eastern Visayas and nearby areas.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, geothermal plant operator Energy Development Corp. said, “Following our Jan. 2 disclosure, where we informed the Exchange of the partial re-commissioning of the Malitbog Power Plant, we inform you that EDC has successfully energized another unit.”

This boosts Malitbog’s generation capacity by another 75 megawatts, bringing the total to 150MW.

The second restored unit is on start-up mode and under reliability tests, EDC said.

On Jan. 2, EDC disclosed that one unit of the Malitbog power plant in Leyte province was operational again following repairs. This followed the series of restorations at the Unified Leyte Geothermal Power Plant (ULGPP) complex that was damaged by Supertyphoon Yolanda.

EDC said the reactivation of the Malitbog power plant followed the partial restoration of the Tongonan power plant.

The Lopez-owned power plant operator said, “We had been able to speed up the restoration process by utilizing existing spares available from EDC’s warehouse facilities and through the early deliveries from our suppliers.”

The ULGPP is covered by power purchase agreements between EDC and the National Power Corp., whose generation assets are being privatized by state-owned Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM).

In November 2013, before Supertyphoon Yolanda ravaged Eastern Visayas, state-owned PSALM bidded out the supply contract.

EDC’s Leyte Geothermal Production Field supplies the steam used by ULGPP and Tongonan I for power generation. EDC said the steamfield lines appear to be operable “despite manifest damage” sustained.