Solar firm proposes 250-MW project in Bataan

SOLAR ORIGIN 1 Corp., a local affiliate of Singapore-based renewable energy firm Enertrans Global Pte. Ltd., has proposed a 250-megawatt (MW) solar power project in Bataan and is conducting feasibility and scoping studies.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) said the company will hold a public scoping on April 20 to present the project and gather feedback from stakeholders.

“Enertrans Global seeks to participate in the country’s renewable energy expansion by developing utility-scale solar power facilities that support the national objective of increasing the share of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix, consistent with the Renewable Energy Act of 2008,” the company said in a notice issued by the DENR.

Project documents show the proposed facility will have a capacity of 250 megawatts of alternating current (MWac) and will be located on about 280 hectares in Bamban and Maite, Hermosa, Bataan.

The company said projected revenues will mainly come from electricity sales under a contracted tariff of P4.14 per kilowatt-hour.

If approved, construction is expected to take about 12 months, while commercial operations are projected to run for 25 years.

The project will be financed through a 70:30 debt-to-equity structure, covering engineering, procurement and construction costs, land acquisition, and development expenses.

The planned site will host solar photovoltaic arrays and related facilities needed for power generation and system operations.

The company said the project aims to help meet Luzon’s growing power demand and support efforts to diversify the country’s energy mix.

“It supports the country’s efforts to accommodate increasing demand while diversifying the energy mix and reducing dependence on conventional fuel sources,” it said, citing Luzon’s projected installed capacity requirement of 80,781 MW by 2050. — Ashley Erika O. Jose