Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) is expanding its solar capacity with the construction of its second solar power farm in Silay City, Negros Occidental.
On Tuesday, CREC president and chief executive officer Oliver Tan, with chairman Edgar Saavedra, were joined by Mayor Joedith Gallego in the groundbreaking rites for the 69-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Barangay E. Lopez.
“With the completion of Citicore Solar Negros Occidental 2, we will not only be able to augment the power generation needs of Negros Occidental and the Visayas grid but also contribute to the growth of the province,” Tan said.
He added that the 69-MW solar, which has a project cost of PHP3 billion, is expected to start commercial operation within the year as part of the company’s deliverables for the Green Energy Auction Program 2 of the Department of Energy (DOE).
He said the plant’s installed capacity can supply power to some 70,000 households.
The first solar farm of CREC in Silay City, located in Barangay Rizal, was commissioned in 2016 with a 25-MW installed capacity.
“This is Phase 2, an expansion of our Phase 1. We constructed it in 2015. After eight, nine years, we’re expanding,” Tan said.
He added that CREC supports Negros Occidental in its steps towards renewable energy transition, adding that the province can further develop with the entry of more renewable energy (RE) projects.
“We thank Citicore for investing in Silay City through these solar farms,” Gallego said.
CREC chairman Edgar Saavedra underscored the urgency to build more RE capacities as part of their commitment to help the national government achieve its vision for clean energy.
“With more projects in the pipeline, CREC is committed to working with the DOE and the local governments as we transition to more renewable energy sources for the Visayas and for our country,” he said.
In a statement, CREC said it has set a goal to contribute approximately one gigawatt of ready-to-build solar energy capacity per year for the next five years.
“This is in line with the DOE’s Philippine Energy Plan, which targets to achieve a 35 percent RE share in the power generation mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040,” it added. (PNA)
