Oriental Mindoro Rep Rodolfo Valencia said a 48-megawatt wind energy project will start construction of its first phase in September, dwarfing the Ilocos wind power plant rated for a maximum 33 MW output.
“Mindoro will become conducive for expanding business in tourism, manufacturing, and other industries, thereby improving the economy of the island,” he said.
Each component of the three-phased P6-billion energy project is worth P2 billion capable of generating 16MW.
The site in the mountain village of Baclayan overlooks the island town’s scenic reports and coves.
The memorandum of agreement and service contract for Phase 1 were approved last June by Energy Secretary Jose Almendras witnessed by representatives from CMC Asia, an Italian power firm, led by chairman Andy de Rossi; Spanish contracting firm, Gamesa Colica SL Unipersonal; chief operating officer Nicanor Villasenor, Philippine Hybrid Energy Systems; Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative; Valencia; Gov Alfonso Umali Jr; and Italian Ambassador Luca Fornari.
The first phase which is expected to be completed has eight towers which stand 78 meters above the ground with three-blade rotors.
A jetty port will be built for loading and unloading of equipment and materials to the wind farm plus access and internal service roads.
The power facility aims to reduce the present rate to P6.50 from P13 per kilowatt hour.
Puetro Galera wind farm is the second project under the renewable energy program of Mindoro’s Power Development Plan for 2012-2014 following the 4.5-MW Linaw-Kawayan Mini-Hydro plant in San Teodoro town.
“Before I end my term in 2016, I want to see Mindoro exporting its surplus power to Luzon,” President Benigno Aquino III said during the switch-on rites of the P500-million power plant last March 2 in Calapan City.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has a pending application with the Energy Regulatory Commission for authority to start the development of the Batangas-Mindoro interconnection project linking the island to mainland Luzon with a submarine power cable.
The Department of Energy said Mindoro has targeted 203-MW capacity four years.
