Malitbog power plant unit in Leyte back in operation, EDC says

The Energy Development Corp. (EDC) disclosed Thursday that one unit of the 75-megawatt Malitbog power plant in Leyte is operational again following repairs.

This is the latest in the series of restorations at the Unified Leyte Geothermal Power Plant (ULGPP) complex, which was damaged by Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the reactivation of the Malitbog power plant follows the partial restoration of the Tongonan power plant.

Earlier, the Upper Mahiao and Leyte optimization plants were restored.

The Lopez-owned power plant operator said it would begin the reliability run and return to service of the said unit of the Malitbog Power Plant in coordination with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, which operates the country’s transmission superhighway.

“We had been able to speed up the restoration process by utilizing existing spares available from EDC’s warehouse facilities and through the early deliveries from our suppliers,” EDC said.

The ULGPP is covered by a power purchase agreements between EDC and the National Power Corp., whose generation assets are being privatized by state-owned Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM).

In November 2013, before supertyphoon Yolanda ravaged Eastern Visayas, state-owned PSALM bid out the supply contract.

EDC’s Leyte Geothermal Production Field supplies the steam used by ULGPP and Tongonan I for power generation. EDC said the steamfield lines appear to be operable “despite manifest damage” sustained.