Vol. XXI, No. 193-A [ Business World Online ]
Saturday, May 3, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Bangui Bay, Ilocos Norte — A wind farm north of the country is looking for potential investors for its expansion program to increase production.
Claimed as the first in Asia, Northwind Power Development Corp.’s Bangui Bay wind power project is planning to add five turbines that will generate an additional 33 megawatts. The current facility has 15 units that generate 24.75 megawatts.
The Bangui project serves 40% of the whole energy requirement of Ilocos Norte which is composed of 108,000 households.
"We are encouraging investors to join us in this project to promote cleaner and cheaper sources of energy," Northwind Chairman Ferdinand A. Dumlao told visiting journalists.
He noted that consumers of wind energy, which is abundant in the North, have an effective 7% discount compared to the more expensive coal-fired electricity supplied by the National Power Corp.
Northwind’s operations are still limited to supplying the provincial electric cooperative, thus it is seeking an interconnection project with the National Transmission Corp. to provide a wider service.
Energy Secretary Angelo T. Reyes, who was also with the visiting group, said that he will look into the proposal.
Established in 2005, the wind power facility an annual generating capacity of 74,482 megawatts.
Northwind is a joint venture by Filipino and Danish businessmen. The Danes have been known worldwide to have efficiently harnessed wind power. — Ava Kashima K. Austria
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