Bidding of hydro power projects deferred to 2013

MANILA, Philippines – The bidding of hydroelectric power projects located across Luzon and the Visayas has been deferred to 2013, according to the Department of Energy.

The bidding of the 40 to 50 potential areas suitable for the development of hydroelectric power, originally set for the third quarter of 2012, will instead be held next year, said Lisa Go, DOE chief investment specialist, at the sidelines of the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines Economic Forum 2012 on Thursday, November 22.

Go said: “The investors need time to study. We have not started the bidding preparations for now. Maybe the bidding will be around middle of next year.”

The exact date has not yet been set, and the DOE is yet to inform investors of the new timeline.

BatMan natural gas

According to Go, newly-appointed Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla has also asked the Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) and the PNOC-Exploration Corp. to proceed with the bidding of the Batangas-Manila (BatMan-1) natural gas pipeline.

Go said DOE expects the BatMan-1 to be completed between 2015 and 2017.

The DOE and PNOC are currently working out the mechanics of the BatMan-1 bidding, such as whether there is a need to form a new PNOC subsidiary for the project.

“Petilla has asked PNOC to work on it and asked DOE to push for it,” said Go. “PNOC-EC can also enter into joint ventures for the project.”

DOE is still validating other aspects of the natural gas master plan that include the Sucat-Fort Bonifacio pipeline and the planned liquefied natural gas terminals in Bataan, Batangas and Quezon. – Rappler.com