The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) remains interested in putting up a 600 megawatts (MW) natural gas-fired power plant project in Singapore.
Meralco said the government of Singapore is currently soliciting offers from interested power plant developers.
“We might participate in the bidding for the new plants that Singapore wants to do, two 600 MW units, so we might bid for one 600 MW,” Manuel Pangilinan, Meralco chairman, told reporters in a recent interview.
Based on available data from the Singapore Energy Market Authority (EMA), bid offers for the power projects will be accepted until the end of October this year.
Last May, Meralco’s power generation arm, Meralco Power Gen Corp. (MGen) through its subsidiary Pacific Light Power Pte Ltd (PLP) secured from the Singapore EMA the right to build, own and operate two power generating units that will provide 100 MW of fast start generation capacity by the second quarter of next year.
PLP said the move will allow the company to ensure uninterrupted power when unexpected events occur in Singapore’s power system while also producing low-carbon power generation as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant.
The company was awarded with a 25-year fast start contract for a 100 MW, hydrogen ready, gas turbine that can be brought from standstill to full load within 18 minutes, providing capacity for ancillary reserve services.
Emmanuel Rubio, MGen president and chief executive officer, said the development of PLP’s 100 MW gas turbine is dependable, reliable and sustainable which is needed with Singapore’s rising energy demand.
Rubio also said the service the 100 MW plant provides “is equivalent to our dispatchable reserve and paid capacity fee and when generated is paid energy fee in the spot market.”
PLP currently has an 800 MW LNG power plant which is owned by FPM Power Holdings Ltd., a joint venture between MGen and First Pacific Company Ltd.
