SPNEC inks new EPC contracts for MTerra Solar

SP New Energy Corp. (SPNEC) has awarded new contracts for a portion of the P200-billion Luzon solar park, with construction works moving at full throttle.

SPNEC disclosed on Friday that its subsidiary Terra Solar Philippines, Inc. had sealed new agreements for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the MTerra Solar Project.

The EPC deals were signed with GEDI Construction Development Corp., China Energy International Group. Co, and China Energy Engineering Group Guangdong Electric Power Design Institute Co.

They will focus on the project’s South Block. This includes 1,050 megawatt-peak (MWp) of solar generation capacity and 1.2 gigawatt-hours of battery energy storage system.

According to SPNEC, the contracts cover warranty, defect resolution and the implementation of operational and maintenance protocols for the mammoth solar farm.

The first phase of the MTerra Solar project, with a target capacity of 2,500 megawatts (MW), is expected to be finished by next year. The second phase, with a capacity of 1,000 MW, is targeted for commercial operations by 2027.

To further boost the massive power plant, the group has likewise invested in 4,000 MW-hours of battery energy storage system.

Once fully switched on, it is slated to become the world’s largest solar farm. It will have enough capacity to energize more than 2.4 million households in the country.

SPNEC is a subsidiary of Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN), the power generation arm of Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Co.

In a separate statement, MGEN said that its Singapore-based subsidiary PacificLight Power Pte. Ltd. (PLP) has tapped the consortium of Mitsubishi Power and Jurong Engineering to develop its combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) facility.

The 670-MW plant will be the first CCGT facility equipped with a large-scale battery storage system in Singapore. Commercial operation is slated for 2029.

“The hydrogen-ready CCGT plant will play a key role in supporting Singapore’s cleaner and more secure energy future,” said Emmanuel Rubio, president and CEO of MGEN.

Currently, PLP operates an 830-MW CCGT facility and a 100-MW fast start ancillary services facility on Jurong Island.