By Rey Anthony Chiu
PIA
Would selling the 112.5 MW Tongonan Geothermal Plant in Kananga,Leyte affect the generation side, which Bohol desperately needs to power its dream Panglao Airport?
As far as the National Grid Corporation (NGC) is concerned, Boholanos need not be wary of the privatization bid for the plant that supplies 80-100 MW for Bohol now.
Just this week, the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) formally opened the packaged sale of Tongonan Geo-Power Plant and Palinpinon Geothermal Plants.
This PSALM did when it opened the notice of bids of both generating assets on an as is-where-is basis in their websites and in major papers early this week.
Tongonan Geothermal Power Plant is presently the biggest bulk power supplier for Bohol, which NGC estimates at about 80 MW, well above the peak demand of 54MW says Bohol Area Control Center Superintendent Noel Rara.
Located in Sitio Sambaloran, Barangay Lim-ao, Kananga, Leyte, Tongonan Geothermal Power Plant consists of three 37.5-MW units, which were commissioned in 1983 and has supplied Bohol since the Leyte Bohol Power Interconnection Project Phase 1 was completed.
On this, “‘the privatization side would hopefully not affect power generation aspect of the asset,†he said during a telephone interview Wednesday, May 13, 2009.
In fact, the move is seen as a way to maximize the power generation output the two geothermal plants are putting out, he added.
The move however would put many investors eyeing the Panglao Tourism Zone in their maps as the critical power demand for the airport and its complex alone would necessarily tip the scales for Bohol power need.
Many also see the privatizations as a potential stall for the LBPIP Phase II, commonly known as the Bohol Backbone transmission upgrading project set to put up the reliable line to Panglao and identified agro-industrial zones here.
On the notice of bidding, PSALM also puts up the 192.5 MW Palinpinon Geothermal Power Plant located in Valencia, Negros Oriental.
The PSALM Bids and Awards Committee has consequently invited interested parties to bid by submitting Letter of Interest (LOI) not later than 5:00 pm on 22 May 2009.
The bid submission deadline for the Visayas-based geothermal facilities is on 12 August 2009.
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