Luzon grid gets power supply boost from PetroSolar

PetroSolar Corp. has added 20 megawatts of power generation capacity to the Luzon grid with the commissioning of its second solar farm in Tarlac City.

The company yesterday started sending electricity to the grid, which is part of the commissioning tests for Tarlac 2 Solar Power Plant (TSPP-2).

Dave P. Gadiano, energy marketing manager of PetroSolar parent PetroGreen Energy Corp. (PGEC), said in a statement that TSPP’s grid linkup was timely as Luzon had been experiencing thinning capacity reserves that earlier this month resulted in rotating brownouts.

“The commissioning of Tarlac-2 supports the Department of Energy’s mission of ensuring more power supply as the country heads into the May elections,” he added.

PetroSolar, a PGEC joint venture with EEI Corp., also owns the 50-MW Tarlac 1 Solar Power Plant. Both Tarlac 1 and Tarlac 2 are at the Central Technopark Industrial Zone.

“The commissioning of Tarlac-2 comes a year after we put our 12-MW Maibarara-2 geothermal plant into commercial operations,” he said.

TSPP 2 was able to transmit electricity to the Luzon grid three months after PetroSolar filed the requisite application with the Energy Regulatory Commission and after compliance with the metering and connection standards of National Grid Power Corp. and the market registration requirements of Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines.

PGEC said TSPP-2 was expected to generate 32 million kilowatt-hours of power yearly.

TSPP-2 is expected to provide additional direct financial benefits to host communities through business permit and local taxes, indigenous energy development royalty, and remittances to host local governments.