AboitizPower to make two coal plants smart

BANGKOK, Thailand — Aboitiz Power Corp. has partnered with REPCO NEX Industrial Solutions, which is homegrown here, to develop what will be the first smart power plants in the Philippines.

Dubbed Project Arkanghel, the initiative is intended to transform two of AboitizPower’s coal-fired power plants into smart power facilities to optimize their performance and reduce downtime for these plants.

“Project Arkanghel is pivotal in boosting our thermal power plants’ efficiency and resiliency. It will also help to ensure that our plants provide reliable baseload supply and lessen downtime due to forced and planned outages,” said Aldo Ramos, chief operating officer of operated assets at AboitizPower Thermal.

Initially, the power firm will create digital twins for its 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Davao del Sur, which is operated by Therma South Inc., and the 340-MW coal facility of Therma Visayas Inc. in Cebu province.

Lesser downtime

AboitizPower explained that digital twins are a virtual replica of a power plant that mimics its operational processes and systems, giving operators a tool that can simulate or stress-test scenarios, as well as detect faults and glitches earlier and in real-time, all within a virtual environment.

READ: AboitizPower eyes expansion of Cebu coal plant

Both coal plants would serve as pioneer models for future installations in other thermal sites.

AboitizPower said that through Project Arkanghel, “digital twins” would further optimize the performance of the power plants through data science and artificial intelligence, enabling operators and engineers “to make more informed decisions.”

“We also see the impact of the continuing decentralization and digitalization of the energy value chain, supported by enabling policies and technological advancement,” AboitizPower Chief Finance Officer Sandro Aboitiz said.