By Joann Santiago
MANILA, (PNA) — The government is being offered to have up to 10 percent stake in the2,400-megawatt combined cycle gas turbine power plant project of Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Manila Inc. (AG&P) in Bataan.
Philippine National Oil Co. Alternative Fuels Corp. President Dante Canlas disclosed this to reporters at the sidelines of the three-day LNG supply, transport, and storage Philippines 2013 that started Tuesday in Manila.
“We have not made a decision. That would be made by PNOC,” he said.
PAFC is a subsidiary of state-owned Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) and is formerly known as PNOC Petrochemical Development Corporation (PPDC) until the amendment of its Articles of Incorporation in July 13, 2006.
It is mandated to “explore, develop and accelerate the utilization and commercialization of alternative fuels in the country” and pursue the development, operation, and management of the 530-hectare PAFC Industrial Park in Bataan.
Canlas said PAFC has signed a supplement interim lease agreement with AG&P which provides for an exclusive contract for the project.
AG&P, in an earlier report of the Department of Energy (DOE), is considering to start the testing and commissioning of the first of the two-unit power plant that has a capacity of 1,200MW by October 2016 and the other unit by October 2018.
Canlas said he does not know when AG&P will start the construction of the power plant “because it’s a private sector decision” but said that the private company has finished conducting the project’s feasibility and development studies and has received its certificate of conformance.
Relatively, Canlas said they have allocated 250 hectares for the power plant project but only 92 hectares are available to date because of the presence of some informal dwellers.
He said they are now doing surveys and negotiating with the illegal settlers for the latter’s relocation.
“This is part of our masterplan…to secure affordable as well as environmentally friendly type of energy,” he added.