By Juzel L. Danganan
MANILA, Oct. 1 (PNA) — The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued the Certificate of Commerciality (COC) for the 12-megawatt (MW) Maibarara expansion and the 50-MW Tarlac solar farm.
In a disclosure from the Philippine Stock Exchange Thursday, PetroEnergy Resources Corp. (PERC) said “two renewable energy projects of PERC have been declared commercial by the DOE — the 12-MW Maibarara 2 (M2) expansion geothermal project in Batangas… and the 50-MWp Tarlac solar facility in Tarlac City.”
The COC proves that there is enough resources for the specified capacities and allows it to proceed to the development stage.
PERC has a 65-percent stake in Maibarara Geothermal Inc. (MGI), while Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corporation (TAODEC) has a 25-percent stake and Philippine National Oil Company – Renewables Corporation (PNOC-RC) has 10 percent.
The DOE has issued on Sept 30, the COC and the Certificate of Additional Investment for the 12-MW MGI expansion dated Sept. 21. It is expected to start producing power by the third quarter of 2017.
Earlier, vice president Francisco Delfin said the MGI expansion has an estimated project cost of Php1.1-1.3 billion.
The 50-MW solar farm, on the other hand, PERC said the DOE issued the COC on September 30 — but was dated on September 24.
PERC also said earlier that the 50-MW solar farm has a budget allocation of Php174.67 million.
PetroSolar Corp is owned by PGEC at 56 percent and EEI Power Corporation at 44 percent.
PERC vice president Francisco Delfin said in a text message the 50-MW solar farm has started its installation on Thursday and targets to finish it by the first quarter of 2016.
PERC and PSC president Milagros Reyes said the solar project is targeting the Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) qualification, which has a commercial operations deadline of March 15, 2016. (PNA)