AboitizPower's new Cleanergy plant in Mt. Province goes online

AboitizPower wholly-owned subsidiary Hedcor has started commercial operations of the 14-MW Sabangan hydroelectric power plant, its first venture in Mt. Province, to provide additional power supply to the Luzon Grid.

Inaugurated last May 6, 2015, the plant is now set to deliver 55 gigawatt-hours of Cleanergy, AboitizPower’s brand for clean and renewable energy, annually to the Grid. Construction of the plant started in 2013 and was finished on time this year.

Using a modern run-of-river system, the Sabangan hydro harnesses the natural force of the Chico River by diverting part of the water into the system. The water then exits the powerhouse and goes back to the river.

“Hedcor’s Sabangan hydro plant is a fulfillment to AboitizPower’s continual promise to bring a better future to the country and to our host communities. Sabangan hydro is hoped to energize communities connected to the Luzon grid,” said President and Chief Operating Officer of AboitizPower Antonio R. Moraza.

The Sabangan hydro is the 22nd run-of-river hydro plant of Hedcor. This increases the total capacity of its entire portfolio to a total of 185 MW of Cleanergy. Hedcor also owns and operates hydro plants in Benguet, Davao City, Davao del Sur and Ilocos Sur.

AboitizPower continues to expand its Cleanergy portfolio as its looks for more potential areas across the country, mainly through geothermal, hydro and solar power sources.

In April, Hedcor also had a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Php 12.

5 billion, 68.

8-MW Manolo Fortich run-of-river hydro plant in Bukidnon. This is also the first hydro plant venture of the Hedcor in Bukidnon province.

Last year, AboitizPower partnered with US-based solar power developer SunEdison, Inc. to explore, develop, construct and operate up to 300 MW of utility-scale solar photovoltaic power generation projects in the Philippines over the next three years.

SN Aboitiz Power, a joint venture of AboitizPower with SN Power of Norway, is also expanding its portfolio in the northern region of Luzon. Early last year, the Department of Energy (DOE) granted SNAP a renewable energy service contract (RESC) to develop an integrated hydropower complex in Ifugao province. The planned 350-MW hydroelectric power facility marks the company’s first major project under its Greenfield Development Program (GDP).

Moreover, increasing the power supply of the country from geothermal sources remains one of the AboitizPower’s goals in 2015 through its exploration of potential steam wells in Negron Cuadrado and Mt. Apo.

AboitizPower currently has 915 MW of renewable energy, representing 40% of its total attributable net sellable capacity, in its right-mix portfolio through its various units. It also operates baseload and peaking plants across the country through its coal and oil-fired power plants. AboitizPower aims to increase further its energy capacity by 2,000 MW in next 5 years to be able to deliver reliable, reasonable and responsible power supply to the country.