Solar firm gets green light for plant

Solar firm gets green light for plant

Business World Online

Posted on July 08, 2013 11:58:23 PM

ATN Philippines Solar Energy Group, Inc. has been given the green light to proceed with construction of its planned 30-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Rizal after the Energy department declared the venture as commercially feasible.

  “We issued a certificate confirming the declaration of commerciality to another 30-MW solar project,” Mario C. Marasigan, the department’s director for Renewable Energy Management Bureau, said in a text message yesterday.

Mr. Marasigan identified the company as ATN Philippines Solar Energy Group, Inc., adding that it is the second firm to have received such confirmation from the department for a solar project.

ATN Philippines will build the 30-MW solar power plant in the municipality of Rodriguez in Rizal.

“They can now proceed with the construction of their project. Project operation is eyed in January 2016 with project cost of $70 million,” Mr. Marasigan said.

Mr. Marasigan added that the department is currently evaluating five more applications for declaration of commerciality of solar power projects.

The department, he added, also “completed evaluations and will soon confirm” the application of Mirae Asia Energy Corp.

Mirae Asia is the proponent of a 20-MW solar power plant in Currimao in Ilocos Norte. The company had said in April that the project will cost about P2.4 billion

The Energy department has issued similar certificates to five other companies, entailing “declaration of commerciality” of four wind projects and one solar project.

For wind, these are: Energy Development Corp. for its 87-MW project in Burgos, Ilocos Norte; Alternergy Wind One Corp. for its 67.5-MW project in Pililla, Rizal; Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. for its 54-MW project in Guimaras Island; and PetroEnergy Resources Corp. for its 50-MW project in Nabas, Aklan.

The solar venture involves Philippine Solar Farm-Leyte, Inc. which is undertaking a 30-MW project in Ormoc, Leyte. -- Claire-Anne Marie C. Feliciano