Current situation of Geothermal Plants in the Philippines

By Seth Ephraim F. Mercadal

History of Geothermal Plants in the Philippines

• 1962 - UP Geology Dept studied the country’s geothermal energy potential

• 1953 to 1972 - Bureau of Mines/COMVOL conducted surveys of geothermal zones

• 1967 - PGI Commissioned 250 kW power plant in Tiwi• 1972 to 1978 - Initial exploration by New Zealand Scientists with

Comvol/PNOC EDC;- Leyte (1972 – 1975)- Southern Negros (1976)- MakBan (1977)- Mindanao (1978)

• 1977 - PNOC-EDC and NPC commissioned 3 MW Leyte pilot plant

History of Geothermal Plants in the Philippines

• 1979 - PGI commissioned 110 MW Tiwi plant• 1983 to 1984 - NPC commissioned its first commercial power plants;

- Leyte (112.5MW)- Southern Negros (112.5MW)

• 1995 - 80 MW Palinpinon-2 was commissioned• 1993 to 1998 - NPC commissioned second set of plants;

- MakBan (110MW) in 1993- Cawayan (20MW) in 1994- Botong (20MW) in 1998

• 1996 to 1999 - PNOC EDC commissioned BOT Plants;- Leyte-Cebu (200 MW) in 1996- Leyte-Luzon (382 MW) in 1997- Leyte Optimization in 1998- Mindanao 1 (52 MW) in 1997- Mindanao 2 (52 MW) in 1999 1

Geothermal Plants In the Philippines

According to former Department of Energy Secretary and current

WWF-Philippines head, Vincent Perez Jr, the

Philippines is the second largest

producer of geothermal energy next to the

United States.2

Tiwi Geothermal Plant

MAKILING-BANAHAW GEOTHERMAL PLANT

Bitin, Bay Laguna

Makiling-Banahaw Geothermal Plant

• Located in the towns of Bay and Calauan in Laguna and Sto. Tomas in Batangas.

• Consists of Plants A and B with two 63-MW units each, Plant C with two 55-MW units, Plants D and E with two 20-MW units each, and a binary plant with five 3-MW and one 0.73-MW units.

• The complex was first commissioned in 1979. 3

Chevron Office

Road to MakBan Geothermal Plant

Pipes within the Barangay

Makiling-Banahaw Geothermal Plant

• Currently Operated by Aboitiz power.• Co-Developed and Maintained by Chevron

and National Power Corp since 1979.• From 1980 to 2000 the residents around the

area enjoyed FREE distribution of electricity.• Hired workers was supposed to be 70:30, 70%

from the residents and 30% from their main office in Makati.

Pipes as an Arch

Pipes from other plants

Steam Well

Makiling-Banahaw Geothermal Plant

• Before chevron took over the plant residents near the steam wells are evacuated before an event of Flow test.

• Flow tests caused high speed oxidation of the residents’ roofs.

• Some residents who have weak lungs and old aged tend to cough violent at the event of Flow tests.

• Now the flow testing is rumored to be done during rainy days.

• During Rainy days, children are not allowed to play because of Acid rain. (H2S+ H2O= H2SO4)

Steam Well

More Pipes

NPC Distribution

Makiling-Banahaw Geothermal Plant

• From 2000 up to the recent dates the residents are now paying for their electric bills.

• Few months a go there was an overflow of steam somewhere above a residential area and chevron denied the event.

• During the NPC days the roof of a resident destroyed by steam can only be paid once.

• Many houses in bitin area are now built with concrete roofs.

• 10-15 more geothermal wells will be drilled from tiwi and makban area.4

NPC

From the Barangay Hall

Aboitiz Power

Residential map

END

Resources

1. “The History of Geothermal Energy Development and Production in the Philippines”- http://www.jcmiras.net/surge/p155.htm

2. “Aboitiz Power wins bidding for Tiwi-Makban Geothermal”- http://www.alternat1ve.com/biofuel/2008/07/31/aboitiz-power-wins-bidding-for-tiwi-makban-geothermal/

3. "Makban Geothermal Power Plant"- http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Makban_Geothermal_Power_Plant

4. "Aboitiz, Chevron eye more drillings at Tiwi-Makban geothermal fields"-http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleid=486185