Aboitiz unit shuts down 2 power barges in Navotas
MANILA, Philippines — Therma Mobile Inc. (TMO), a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., is temporarily shutting down its two floating power plants in Metro Manila.
In a disclosure, AboitizPower said TMO received the Department of Energy’s (DOE) letter that green-lights its move to “mothball” two bunker C-fired power barges—named Mobile 4 and Mobile 6—at the Navotas Fish Port Complex in Navotas City.
A power barge is a floating power plant that can be towed and moored in different water sites.
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Based on the DOE memo, the two facilities’ electricity generation activities stopped on Friday, Feb. 14. However, TMO intends to make them online again on Feb. 1, 2027.
TMO made this decision “due to technical and commercial challenges that prevent or hamper their full utilization and continued safe and efficient operation,” AboitizPower said.
The power firm said concerned offices and agencies, such as the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines Inc., National Grid Corporation of the Philippines and the Energy Regulatory Commission, were already informed of this latest development.
For TMO’s generation activities, it would bank on two other power facilities, Mobile 3 and Mobile 5. Together, TMO’s four power barges account for 242 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity.
Reserve shutdown
Five years ago, TMO also went into a reserve shutdown due to the absence of power supply agreements. A generator is considered under reserve shutdown when it is available for deployment, but is not connected to the power due to economic reasons.
AboitizPower took over the operations of TMO in 2011. After the facilities’ rehabilitation, the barges clinched a deal to supply 100 MW to its only customer Manila Electric Co., the country’s largest power distributor.
AboitizPower is also into the businesses of power distribution, retail electricity services, and distributed energy. Its power generation portfolio includes both renewable and nonrenewable generation plants.
Earlier, AboitizPower said it has set a goal of racking up 4,600 MW of renewable capacity by 2030. This involves developing 3,700 MW of new renewable capacity, covering solar, wind, geothermal, hydro and battery energy storage systems.
