Lone bidder gets contract to build micro power grids

A consortium of Philippine and Singaporean companies was granted a contract to provide through microgrid systems round-the-clock electricity supply to eight unserved areas in the provinces of Cebu, Quezon and Palawan, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).

The Maharlika Consortium—composed of homegrown Maharlika Clean Power Holdings Corp. and Singapore-based firms CleanGrid Partners Pte Ltd. and WEnergy Global Pte Ltd.—won the first round of the competitive selection process (CSP) for the microgrid systems service provider.

Even if the Maharlika group was the lone entity that submitted offers, the DOE said these “passed the criteria set for the auction.”

In particular, Maharlika’s offers were found to be in order in relation to the CSP’s terms of reference, as well as Republic Act No. 11646 or the Micro Grid Systems Act and its implementing rules and regulations. The DOE issued the notice of award to the consortium during the ceremonial signing held Tuesday at its main office in Taguig City.

According to the agency, the consortium will build and operate a hybrid microgrid system—composed of a solar photovoltaic, energy storage system and a diesel generator set—no later than 18 months after executing the microgrid systems service contract with state-run National Power Corp.

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Rates to be imposed for supplying electricity in eight unserved areas will be subject to the Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval and will be subsidized under the universal charge for missionary electrification (UCME) for 20 years.

UCME is one of the items collected by power distributors from electricity end-users in areas connected to the power grids. It finances the missionary electrification programs and projects of Napocor. INQ