DMCI Power to put up wind power plant in Semirara Island

Off-grid electricity generator DMCI Power Corp. (DPC) on Monday announced plans to build a wind power plant in Semirara Island, which it targets to start operations within the next 15 months.

In a regulatory filing, DMCI Holdings Inc. said DPC expects the facility to have a capacity ranging from 8 megawatts (MW) to 12 MW, with operational implementation within the next 12 to 15 months.

“We are also looking at solar energy to augment the supply in the island, but we are prioritizing wind resource development because it has shown the most promise,” DPC President Antonino Gatdula Jr. said.

This comes as a wind resource study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that Semirara Island had some of the best wind resources in the Philippines, with the wind corridors between Luzon and Panay having good to excellent wind power density.

The firm is currently in the process of validating the wind resource estimates of the laboratory of the United States Department of Energy to determine the final location and capacity of the project.

According to Gatdula, studies indicate that wind power could potentially deliver a 33% plant utilization rate, which compares with 17% for solar.

The project will be funded and undertaken independently by the firm, with capital expenditure per megawatt roughly the same for both wind and solar projects.

DPC is a subsidiary of DMCI Holdings Inc., which also counts as units D.M. Consunji Inc., DMCI Project Developers Inc., Semirara Mining and Power Corp., and DMCI Mining Corp.

Shares in DMCI Holdings were trading up 4 centavos or 0.41% at P9.69 apiece as of 1:38 p.m. on Monday. — DVM, GMA Integrated News