Millennium Energy Inc. has completed the rehabilitation of a 100-megawatt diesel power plant in Navotas and started delivering power to the Luzon grid, an energy official said over the weekend.
“Millennium is already running, [at] 100 MW,” Energy director Mylene Capongcol said.
The power plant is a merchant plant, which means its capacity will be sold to the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market. It is one of the projects identified by the Energy Department as crucial in helping ease the anticipated tight power supply during the dry months.
Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla earlier said Millennium pushed through with the 100-MW project, despite the challenges faced by the company.
Millennium hesitated in pursuing the plant’s rehabilitation, pending the signing of a power supply agreement with distributor Manila Electric Co.
Millennium also encountered problems with the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority, operator of the Navotas Fishing Port complex where the diesel plant is located.
Millennium Energy owns the 310-MW Navotas I & II gas turbine power plant at the Navotas Fish Port complex and the 620-MW Bataan combined cycle power plant in Limay, Bataan.
The department listed the Millennium Energy’s 100-MW capacity as one of the capacities that could alleviate the power shortage in the dry months, amid the one-month maintenance shutdown of the Malampaya natural gas platform.
The repair of Malampaya facility was completed early this month, allowing three of the country’s largest power plants to draw natural gas for its fuel requirement.
The Energy Department said the private sector had stepped up with the challenge of averting the power blackout by raising 424 MW in additional capacity.
Petilla advised the public to continue practicing energy efficiency and conservation measures amid the anticipated increase in demand in May this year.
Petilla said the department would also closely coordinate with energy stakeholders to ensure the stable supply of electricity.