Solar firm seeks incentives via Meralco link

Bulacan Solar Energy Corp. (BSEC) wants to connect its 25-megawatt (MW) solar power plant to the Manila Electric Co. (MERALCO) distribution system to be able to avail of incentives under a scheme for renewable energy developers.

BSEC said it was building the Bulacan Solar Power Plant (BSPP), a solar power farm and energy generation station, on a 25-hectare property located in barangays Pasong Bangkal and Casalat in San Ildefonso, Bulacan.

The connection asset would cost about P92 million and would be funded through equity and external financing, the firm formerly known as Cleantech Global One Renewables Inc. said in an application with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

BSEC intends to commission the BSPP in February 2016 and be able to recover P8.69 per kilowatt-hour in generation charges under the Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) scheme. The FIT is the per kilowatt-hour rate guaranteed to renewable energy developers to ensure the viability of their projects.

The first round of award only accommodated 50MW of solar power project capacity, while the expanded solar FIT can accommodate up to a total of 500MW. Those who want to operate under the second batch of solar power FIT must have completed their projects by March 15, 2016.

BSEC proposed to dispatch its generated power to the grid through the Meralco’s Cruz-Na-Daan (CND) substation in San Rafael Bulacan.

BSEC also needs the Energy Regulatory Commission’s go-ahead to build the connection to Meralco. Riza T. Olchondra