ALABAT Wind Power Corp. (AWPC), a unit of Alternergy Holdings Corp., has secured the green light from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to inject electricity from its 64-megawatt (MW) Alabat wind project into the Luzon grid via a transmission facility.
In a media release on Monday, Alternergy said the ERC approved AWPC’s application to develop and own a dedicated point-to-point transmission facility to connect the wind farm to the grid.
The P1.8-billion facility involves the installation of a substation at the wind farm site and a 37-kilometer transmission system from Brgy. Villa Norte in Alabat to Brgy. Hondagua in Lopez, Quezon.
This will then link to the existing 69-kilovolt Gumaca-Tagkawayan-Lopez transmission line of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines in Lopez, Quezon, via a switching station.
“With this approval, AWPC reaffirms our goal of promoting environmental stewardship through the development of renewable energy resources and supporting our host communities while ensuring a reliable and efficient energy supply to the grid,” said AWPC President Gerry P. Magbanua.
Straddling the municipalities of Alabat and Quezon, the P7-billion wind farm is targeted for completion by the end of the year.
In April, Alternergy took delivery of the first two 8-MW wind turbines built by Envision Energy, part of the eight turbines to be delivered for the wind project.
The company has secured P5.3 billion in financing from Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. to partially fund the project’s construction.
The Alabat wind farm is one of five renewable energy projects under construction by Alternergy as part of its goal to reach a 500-MW capacity target by 2026.
On Monday, shares in the company fell by 1.98%, closing at P0.99 apiece. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
