Aboitiz Power eyes coal blending facility
The government’s target of having a centralized coal blending facility may see another early taker, this time with Aboitiz Power Corp. expressing interest to tie up with other market giants.
“We remain open to strategic partnerships that can contribute to our growth and diversify our portfolio,” Aboitiz Power told Inquirer in a message.
The company—with investments in thermal power facilities, including major coal plants and renewable energy assets—said it was open to exploring opportunities to cut power costs and ensure reliable supply, particularly with Filipinos’ increasing demand.
As of July 9, attributable net sellable capacity of Aboitiz Power stood at 6,182 megawatts, with thermal operations still providing the largest chunk.
Aboitiz Group kept its status as the country’s top power generator, accounting for 24.3 percent of the national grid’s installed capacity as of June, data from the Energy Regulatory Commission showed.
Billionaire Manuel V. Pangilinan’s power generation arm, Meralco PowerGen Corp., was the first to show an appetite for the planned coal blending facility floated by Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin.
“We would be interested in learning more about the DOE’s proposed framework, including the commercial structure and how the private sector consortium would participate,” MGEN president and CEO Emmanuel Rubio said over the weekend.
Garin wants the private sector, particularly a consortium, to lead the development and management of the coal blending terminal, with the government’s role limited to “a certain overview or supervision.”
The concept is that the blending terminal’s operator will source the supply from domestic and foreign markets.
The facility will then mix high-grade coal and cheaper low-grade coal and adjust the content to produce coal blends suited for different industrial requirements.
The DOE is eyeing a potential location in Mindanao.
