RENEWABLE ENERGY developer Maibarara Geothermal, Inc. (MGI) is proposing an up to P8.9-billion expansion of its geothermal facility in Batangas to supply additional power to the Luzon grid.
The expansion is expected to generate 25 to 40 megawatts (MW) of capacity, which will raise MGI’s total output to 80 MW once completed, the company said in a filing with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The company said the project would help meet growing demand while supporting the country’s energy transition.
“Viewed on a broader scale, the project will contribute additional generation capacity to the Luzon grid, addressing the country’s persistent power shortages and supplying power to new infrastructure to be built by the government or the private sector in the future, leading to additional jobs,” it said.
MGI is a joint venture of PetroGreen Energy Corp. (65%), ACEN Corp. (25%), and PNOC Renewable Corp. (10%). It currently operates the 20-MW Maibarara-1 and 12-MW Maibarara-2 plants in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.
The proposed expansion covers the drilling of new production and reinjection wells, development of discharge facilities, and installation of a power plant and switchyard.
The facility will use geothermal steam from the new wells, which will be converted into electricity through the steamfield system.
Construction is targeted to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027, with commissioning scheduled between 2029 and 2031. Full operations are expected in the third quarter of 2031.
MGI said the expansion will also contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as geothermal plants emit only a fraction of the sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and carbon dioxide generated by coal-fired facilities of similar capacity.
The Philippines has a total installed geothermal capacity of 1,952 MW, making it the world’s third-largest geothermal producer.
As of July, the Department of Energy had awarded 31 geothermal service contracts with a combined potential capacity of 1,077.22 MW. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera