Tiwi and Mak-Ban geothermal fields produce extra 100 MW in output

MANILA  -The steam output from the Tiwi and Mak-ban fields has increased by 100 megawatts (MW) after its owner completed a drilling project to get the most out of the geothermal assets.

In a statement, ThermaPrime Drilling Corp., which was tapped by Philippine Geothermal Production Co. Inc. (PGPC) to further develop the areas, said it had drilled 12 production wells and three multiple injection wells for the Tiwi steam field in Albay and in Mak-ban (Makiling-Banahaw) spanning Laguna and Batangas. The two areas produced just 300 MW previously.

PGPC, a geothermal power developer in Southeast Asia that was fully acquired by SM Investments Corp. last year for P26.6 billion, currently operates the geothermal fields that have a combined area of 9,410 hectares.

The Tiwi field, which began commercial operations in 1979, has at least 42 active production wells and 23 injection wells.

The Mak-Ban steam field that stretches from Laguna to Batangas, meanwhile, has around 60 active production wells and 19 injection wells.

PGPC earlier announced plans to increase its renewable energy output to 600 MW in line with the national government’s goal of growing the share of renewables in the Philippine energy mix from the current 22 percent to 35 percent by 2030 and to 50 percent by 2040.

PGPC also presently holds exclusive rights to explore, develop and utilize geothermal resources in the Mt. Malinao geothermal project in Albay and Camarines Sur after the Department of Energy awarded the company a service contract in 2018.

ThermaPrime, a fully owned subsidiary of First Balfour Inc., the Lopez group’s construction company began drilling for PGPC began in 2019.