Key Takeaways
- A consortium headed by Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia is set to commence the development of a 150-MW solar power plant in Daanbantayan, Cebu.
- The power plant is set to be developed on Barangay Talisay land.
- The solar power plant will be developed in cooperation with a private local energy company, a Spain-based energy company, and the National Grid Corporation Philippines (NGCP).
To address the increasing energy demands of Cebu province and its neighboring Panay islands, a consortium is set to commence the development and construction of a 150-MW solar power plant in Daanbantayan, Cebu.
A statement from Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said that the solar power plant is set to be situated in Barangay Talisay, and at no cost to the local government except for the 185-hectare lot. The governor said that the solar power plant is to developed, operated, and maintained by Spain’s Acciona Energia Global and Freya Renewables, Inc., a local energy company, through a 25-year concession.
Governor Garcia met with consortium executives, including Daanbantayan Mayor Shun Shimura and National Grid Corporation Philippines (NGCP) officials and signed a memorandum of agreement on March 16, 2024. She has also met with the fifty-six lot owners in Barangay Talisay, where the solar panels will be built.
According to a news release, NGCP vice presidents Reynaldo Abadilla and Cesar Sanchez expressed commitment to facilitate energy transmission produced by this consortium to Cebu’s (plus its neighboring provinces’) power distributors.
Additionally, the NGCP provided a System Impact Study to the consortium to assist this project. The study includes an assessment of the existing power grid’s capacity to integrate a new generator, as well as identifying points of enhancements such as transmission lines, transformers, and substations. This study will be endorsed to the Department of Energy.