| Ilocos wind farm readies expansion |
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NorthWind Power Corp. will expand its newly inaugurated Bangui Bay wind farm project by installing an additional five turbines at a cost of $13 million. Ferdinand Dumlao, chairman of Northwind, said the company installed 15 turbines only over half of the nine-kilometer stretch of the wind farm project, leaving the remaining half open to expansion. "Initially the funding (for expansion) that was given to us was for five (turbines), that is equivalent to 8 megawatts, so this will make a 33-mw plant in total. The total additional cost for the five (turbines) is $13 million," he said. Dumlao talked to reporters on Saturday during the inauguration ceremony for Southeast Asia's biggest wind farm in Ilocos Norte. He said the Danish International Development Agency (Danida) had again agreed to fund the second phase of the project. Danida partially funded the first phase of the Bangui Bay project, a 24.75-mw power generating plant consisting of 15 units of Vestas wind turbines rated at 1.65 mw each. The turbines, located along the shore of Bangui Bay, are arranged in a single row spaced at 326 meters apart. The turbines are 70 meters tall with each blade measuring 41 meters in length. The power plant includes a 30 M VA 13.8/69kV substation and 57-km 69kV transmission line from the site to Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Major stockholders of Northwind are Moorland Philippines, Phildane Resources Corp. and Fabmik Construction and Equipment Corp. The 15 wind turbines are connected to the Luzon grid. They started delivering power May 7 to Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (Inec). Northwind sells its power to Inec 7 percent lower than the rates charged by state-owned National Power Corp. (Napocor). "Whatever Inec is paying to Napocor we offer a discount of 7 percent," Dumlao said. Danida provided primary funding for the $50 million project in the amount of $29.35 million through a zero interest mixed credit facility. The loan was backed by a guarantee from the Philippine Export-Import Credit Agency (Philexim). About $10.5 million came from grants with the balance raised by Northwind shareholders. Former energy secretary Vincent Perez Jr. who graced the event said wind farm is a giant step in the promotion of renewable energy sources in the country. "A fresh breeze of hope has begun as the Philippines sails closer toward energy independence. Four years ago, we set ourselves to dream for the Philippines to become the wind leading producer in Southeast Asia. That dream has turned into reality," he said. Dumlao, meanwhile, said Northwind is looking into another 40-mw wind power project in Cagayan province in the next two years. "We hope to see the project completed by then because we foresee a shorter gestation period for this project. It is about 70 km from here (Bangui Bay). We even see that the wind regime is even better there," he said. Dumlao said he had not estimated the cost of the Cagayan project, citing the rising prices of materials, including steel. Dumlao said they hoped Danida would extend another concesssional loan to the Cagayan project. Alena Mae S. Flores “Ilocos wind farm readies expansion” Manila Standard Today June 20, 2005 |