Phase 1 of Bohol backup power plant completed by next year
Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc. (ACR) through the Alsons Power Group, eyes to complete the first phase of its 95.5 megawatts (MW) baseload backup power plant in Barangay Imelda, Ubay, Bohol by 2024.
The company said the project which is registered in the energy market as Ubay Power Corp. (UPC) will serve as a backup source of electricity for Bohol, in the event that the province gets isolated from the Visayas grid during calamities or natural disasters.
Alsons Power said it will install and subsequently operate stand-by modular diesel plants in two phases as UPC will run and manage the facility with an initial capacity of 57.7 MW by 2024 and the remaining capacity by 2026.
In 2013, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake and super typhoon Yolanda hit Bohol which affected transmission towers that cut off the province from the Visayas grid. In December 2021 when super typhoon Odette made landfall in Siargao and passed Bohol, isolating the province anew.
Alsons Power said PMM Works Inc. and Ferowelds Construction Inc. will handle the engineering, procurement, and construction of the UPC.
UPC’s generated capacity is governed by a power purchase agreement (PSA) between First Gen Corp.’s Energy Development Corp. (EDC) and One Bohol Power Distribution Utilities (1BP).
Unde the PSA, EDC’s Unified Leyte geothermal power plant will be responsible for supplying Bohol with a baseload power supply while UPC will serve as an in-island backup power source.
1BP is comprised of the Bohol Light Company Inc. operating in Tagbilaran City, Bohol Electric Cooperative 1 serving 26 municipalities and Bohol Electric Cooperative 2 providing electricity to 21 towns. – Jed Macapagal
