APRI Seeks ERC Approval For Transmission Facilities

AP Renewables Inc. (APRI), a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., seeks the Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval to build and operate dedicated point-to-point transmission facilities worth ₱83.52 million that will connect its geothermal binary power project in Albay to Luzon.

The dedicated facility project is set to connect APRI’s 17 megawatts (MW) Tiwi geothermal binary power plant to the Luzon grid through the 69-kilovolt (kV) Tiwi-C substation of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

The facility will be used solely for the dispatch and connection to the 69-kV substation of NGCP,  which will mobilize energy transfer from the power plant to the Luzon grid.

APRI said it studied options and concluded that the direct connection between the Tiwi binary plant project to the Luzon grid is the sole viable option due to its proximity.

The company emphasized the immediate need to test, commission, and dispatch electricity from the Tiwi binary plant once completed to contribute to the rising demand growth and avoid unnecessary delays.

APRI and its partners aim to officially start the Tiwi binary plant project within the first quarter of 2023. It will utilize excess heat from spent brine at the geothermal facility, making it the country’s first geothermal power plant.

In April 2022, APRI agreed with its steam supplier for the brine that will fuel the binary plant. The project will be built from the ground up with a new plant system, pipes, and transmission lines.

APRI also granted the project’s engineering, procurement, and construction contracts to Ormat Technologies Inc. and Desco Inc., companies known for their engineering services, power plant system designs, and technical expertise in the geothermal energy industry.

Ormat and Desco have been long-time partners of APRI. Desco has been providing materials and staffing services for 11 years, while Ormat built and designed the company’s binary facilities for the MakBan Geothermal Power Plant in Laguna.

Source: Philstar