SAAVEDRA-LED Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) and Ang-led SMC Global Light and Power Corp. (SGLP) are targeting to complete their 153.5-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Mariveles, Bataan next year.
“We’re doing the engineering design, (and) once we secure all the remaining permits, we (are looking) to start the construction before yearend,” CREC President and Chief Executive Officer Oliver Tan told reporters late Tuesday.
CREC and SGLP recently signed an investment and shareholder agreement to jointly develop, construct, and operate a solar power plant.
CREC said that the joint venture will add approximately 76.75 MW to the company’s attributable solar energy capacity.
SGLP is a wholly owned subsidiary of San Miguel Global Power Holdings Corp., the power arm of San Miguel Corp.
CREC aims to add one gigawatt (GW) of solar energy capacity annually to the Philippine energy mix, focusing on projects that are ready-to-build or under construction over the next five years, with a target of achieving a total of around five GW by 2028.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tan said they are keen to participate in the second round of bidding for microgrid systems providers (MGSPs).
“We participated (in the first round) but we did not submit a bid, but the next (round) looks good because the first was scattered, so there is no scale. But here in the next round, [the areas] are close together,” Mr. Tan said, partly in Filipino.
Over the weekend, the Department of Energy (DoE) said it will launch the second round of the competitive selection process for MGSPs in the first week of August.
The second round involves the electrification of 41 lots, initially composed of 75 identified unserved and underserved areas of the country.
The identified areas cover 12,212 households and were part of the service areas previously offered to bidders during the first round in November last year.
The DoE will invite interested parties in the first week of August, with the submission of expressions of interest and prequalification scheduled for the fourth week of August.
The submission and opening of technical and financial bid proposals are set for the fourth week of September. The DoE will issue the notice of award in the first week of December. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
