Silay City will host 69 MW solar power farm

Cesafinews | Silay City will host 69 MW solar power farm | SILAY CITY – Building their second solar power farm in Silay City, Negros Occidental, Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) is increasing its solar capacity.

The 69-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Barangay E. Lopez was officially inaugurated on Tuesday by Oliver Tan, president and chief executive officer of CREC, with the presence of Edgar Saavedra, chairman, and Mayor Joedith Gallego.

According to Tan, “we will be able to augment the power generation needs of Negros Occidental and the Visayas grid as well as contribute to the growth of the province” once Citicore Solar Negros Occidental 2 is finished.

In addition, he mentioned that the 69 MW solar, with a total project cost of PHP3 billion, is anticipated to begin commercial operation this year as one of the company’s deliverables for the DOE’s Green Energy Auction Program 2.

According to him, some 70,000 homes can be powered by the plant’s installed capacity.

With an installed capacity of 25 MW, CREC’s first solar farm in Silay City, Barangay Rizal, was commissioned in 2016.

This is an extension of our Phase 1 that we call Phase 2. It was built by us in 2015. “We are expanding after eight or nine years,” Tan announced.

More renewable energy (RE) projects entering the province will allow it to grow, he said, adding that CREC is behind Negros Occidental’s efforts to switch to RE.

With these solar farms, Citicore has invested in Silay City, and for that, Gallego expressed gratitude.

As part of their mission to assist the federal government in realizing its goal of renewable energy, CREC chairman Edgar Saavedra emphasized the critical need to increase RE capacity.

“As we move forward with additional projects, CREC remains dedicated to collaborating with the DOE and local governments to increase the use of renewable energy sources in the Visayas and the country as a whole,” he stated.

During the next five years, CREC aims to contribute about one gigawatt of solar energy capacity that is ready to be built, according to a statement.

“This is in accordance with the DOE’s Philippine Energy Plan, which aims to achieve a 35% RE share in the power generation mix by 2030 and 50% by 2040,” it further stated. (via PNA)