Aboitiz suspends Philippines power plant projects, focusses on RI

Philippines' Aboitiz Power Corp has decided to suspend plans to develop a geothermal power plant and to expand its 300 MW coal-fired power plant in the country as the company is focussing on a geothermal power plant venture in Indonesia, according to local reports.

?We are developing a geothermal project in Indonesia ahead of our project in Davao, for that one, the potential is already established and determined that there is geothermal resource as compared here, we still have to explore the possibility,? said Manuel Orig, Aboitiz First Vice President as quoted by the reports.

Aboitiz Power announced late last year that they are partnering with PT Medco Power Indonesia, an Indonesian geothermal power producer, to undertake a project in the exploration and development of a potential 100-MW greenfield geothermal plant in East Java Province.

When asked on the fate of the Mt. Apo and Mt. Sibulan geothermal project in the Philippines, Orig was quick to add that they will pursue on the exploration depending on the outcome of the development of the Indonesian geothermal project.

Aboitiz Power is set to increase its beneficial net sellable capacity to 4,000 MW by 2019.(*)