ERC clears commercial run of GNPower Dinginin’s first unit
THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has issued a certificate of compliance to GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co., allowing the company to commercially operate the first unit of its power plant.
In a statement on Monday, ERC Chairperson and Chief Executive Agnes VST Devanadera said with the issuance of the certificate, the company can now inject power to the Luzon grid and “provide the much-needed additional power supply to meet the increasing demand for power this holiday season and up to the election period.”
GNPower Dinginin is a joint venture of the Ayalas’ energy arm, Aboitiz Power Corp.’s subsidiary Therma Power, Inc., and Power Partners Ltd. Co.
The supercritical coal-fired power plant has two units, each with a net capacity of 668 megawatts. It is located at the coastal area of Sitio Dinginin, Brgy. Alas-Asin, Mariveles, Bataan.
The five-year certificate covers only the plant’s unit 1. The second unit is under construction and is still subject to complete test and commissioning.
GNPower Dinginin was allowed by grid operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines and the Department of Energy to move its internal test for the first unit earlier to Nov. 30 to support the grid during the Malampaya gas field’s outage.
The grant of certificate to will augment the country’s generation capacity, Ms. Devanadera said, describing the move as a proactive effort by the commission, particularly in cases where power demand outweighs supply.
She added that the ERC sees to it that compliance certificate applications are approved “as soon as all legal, technical and financial requirements have been satisfied in order to ensure that supply matches the demand and to promote a sustainable power supply.”
Meanwhile, AboitizPower announced on Monday the retirement of Jaime Jose Y. Aboitiz as the company’s executive vice-president and chief operating officer effective on Jan. 1, 2022.
Shares in AboitizPower inched down 1.29% or 40 centavos to close at P30.50 apiece on Monday. — Marielle C. Lucenio
