First Gen-led renewable energy leader Energy Development Corporation (EDC) inaugurated its 3.6 MW Mindanao 3 (M3) binary geothermal power plant, expanding its existing Mount Apo geothermal facility with an additional supply of clean, reliable, stable power in Mindanao.
The ceremony held at the power plant in Barangay Ilomavis, Kidapawan City, Cotabato was graced by Director Mario C. Marasigan of the Department of Energy's Electric Power Industry Management Bureau (EPIMB), Renewable Energy Management Bureau-Geothermal Energy Management Division Chief Ariel Fronda, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Chief of Conservation and Development Division Dr. Ali Hadjinassel, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines Representative Ronido Sarno, Manobo Apao Descendants Ancestral Domain Claim of Mount Apo (MADADMA) Chairman Datu Damaso Bayawan, and EDC representatives led by Deputy Chief Operating Officer Jerome H. Cainglet, Head of Business Development Marvin Kenneth S. Bailon, and Mount Apo Geothermal Project Facility Head Romy Kee.
The binary power plant started construction in the midst of the pandemic and ensured the safety of its personnel through strict health and safety protocols. The facility will make use of existing brine from EDC's 103-MW Mindanao 1 & 2 geothermal power facilities to generate additional energy without the need for additional drilling. The heat from the brine will be used to generate electricity for the new power plant before it is re-injected back to the reservoir. It was synchronized to the Mindanao Grid on March 12, 2022, and passed its grid compliance testing by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines on March 25.
The project will not only contribute reliable power to the Mindanao region but will also avoid around 25,000 tonnes of equivalent carbon dioxide each year through the use of clean geothermal energy in lieu of coal.
In his message, Marasigan relayed the DOE's appreciation for EDC's new RE facility. "The Department puts primacy on the support and full commitment of our renewable energy partners, particularly EDC. The entry of this new geothermal capacity in the form of the Mt. Apo Geothermal Project's Mindanao 3 (M3) Binary Power Plant will serve as a milestone for EDC's growing portfolio of generating clean energy and a milestone as well for the DOE's commitment of ensuring effective implementation of the National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) 2020 - 2040."
"Congratulations, EDC, for your continued efforts and commitment to generate sustainable and clean energy to the grid for the benefit of the country," he added.
Deputy COO Cainglet said the M3 binary plant is part of EDC's commitment to continuously power the Mindanao region's growing economy with 100% clean energy to lessen its dependence on fossil fuels such as coal that have primarily caused our warming planet. "Through our geothermal facilities here in Cotabato which now includes M3, we are able to fulfill our revitalized mission to forge collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future in this part of our country," he said.
The project boosted the local economy with a maximum of 567 jobs that it generated for nearby communities at the peak of its construction. It is expected ato provide additional benefits to the host local government units of Barangay Ilomavis, Kidapawan City, Cotabato province and Region 12 as well as the Manobo Apao Descendants Ancestral Domain Claim of Mount Apo (MADADMA) Indigenous Peoples communities in Barangays Ilomavis, Balabag, and Kawayan in the form of the government-mandated Energy Regulations (ER) No. 1-94 funds, which is equivalent to one centavo per kilowatt-hour (P0.01/kWh) of the total electricity sales to their host communities.
Cainglet also thanked their partners who helped deliver the project in just 13 months safely and with quality. This included their equipment manufacturer, Exergy, and their contractor service provider, First Balfour Inc. Critical stakeholders also supported the development of the project which included the Department of Energy, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, the Energy Regulation Commission, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Thank you, dear partners, for being enablers of our decarbonization mission, " said Cainglet.
While EDC aims to supply clean, reliable, and renewable energy (RE) that is available 24/7 to its customers, the safety of its employees and contractors remains to be its top priority. Since the project broke ground in early 2021, right after getting the green light from the Department of Energy, it has reached close to a million safe man-hours (924,552) as of March 31, 2022.
EDC's over 1,480MW total installed capacity accounts for 20 percent of the country's total installed RE capacity while its 1,181MW geothermal portfolio accounts for 62 percent of the country's total installed geothermal capacity and has put the Philippines on the map as the 3rd largest geothermal producer in the world. ##
