First Gen, Tokyo Gas kick off LNG terminal project

Malampaya natural gas plant. https://malampaya.com/

BATANGAS CITY, Philippines — First Gen Corp. & Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd. have broken ground for their LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal project here, meant to ensure continuous fuel supply for power plants that currently rely on Malampaya gas.

There is no new discovery of gas fields in the Philippines yet, and Malampaya is expected to start producing less fuel by the mid-2020s.

First Gen currently operates four gas-fed power plants with an aggregate capacity of about 2,000 megawatts, including the 1,000-MW Santa Rita, 500-MW San Lorenzo, 414-MW San Gabriel and 97-MW Avion — all of which sit adjacent to the LNG project site.

The two-phase LNG project will have two storage tanks with capacities of 5 million tons yearly and 2 mtpa.

This will be Tokyo Gas’ first such facility outside Japan.

The company on Monday led a “kagami biraki” ceremony — a traditional Japanese rite performed when celebrating New Year as well as when embarking on new endeavors. (Editor: Cenon B. Bibe Jr.)