SEMIRARA Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) said on Monday that the first 300-megawatt (MW) unit of its two-unit coal-fired thermal power plant in Calaca, Batangas has resumed operations.

This came more than a week after the Consunjis’ coal mining and power company told the stock exchange of the unit’s unplanned outage. The facility is operated by SMPC unit Sem-Calaca Power Corp.

At 8:22 a.m. on Saturday, unit one was synchronized to the power transmission grid, SMPC said. As of 9 a.m. on Monday, the unit’s average load capacity was at 250 MW, it added.

SMPC disclosed on March 9 that unit one went into an unplanned outage until March 12, 2018 “to give way to boiler slags removal.” It said unit two had also been out, although on planned maintenance, for a thorough assessment and inspection before the final phase of the rehabilitation in 2019.

Unit two, which is on a life extension rehabilitation program, is expected to be back online by the end of the month.

Another SMPC subsidiary, Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp. (SLPGC), earlier reported that the 150-MW unit one of its two-unit coal-fired circulating fluidized bed thermal power plant near Sem-Calaca had an unplanned outage beginning March 6.

The shutdown was blamed on “observed abnormal vibration of the equipment” by the subsidiary, which operates the power plant. It said detailed inspection of the unit would be done immediately.

The second 150-MW is undergoing regular planned maintenance. It is expected to be online by the last week of the month.

SMPC said both subsidiaries’ outages are still within allowable limits, and the group would not need to provide replacement power.

On Monday, SMPC shares closed down 6.66% at P30.15.

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