Tiwi Geothermal Power Plant

(Redirected from Tiwi Geothermal Complex)

The Tiwi Geothermal Power Plant is a 234-MW geothermal power station in Tiwi, Albay, Philippines.

Tiwi Geothermal Power Plant
Map
CountryPhilippines
LocationAlbay, Philippines
Coordinates13°27′56.5″N 123°38′58.1″E / 13.465694°N 123.649472°E / 13.465694; 123.649472
StatusOperational
Commission date1979
OwnerAP Renewables
OperatorAP Renewables
Geothermal power station
TypeFlash steam (existing) / Binary cycle (planned)
Power generation
Units operational4 units[1]
Units planned1 unit
Nameplate capacity234 MW

History

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Pilot geothermal plant. 1970

The Commission on Volcanology conducted an exploration of the Tiwi geothermal field from 1964 to 1968.[2]

The Philippine government in early 1971 invited the Union Oil Company of California (Unocal) to form the Philippine Geothermal, Inc. (PGI) which is intended as a joint venture for the exploration and development of geothermal energy. A service contract was made with the state-owned National Power Corporation (NPC) on September 10, 1971.

PGI contributed technical knowledge as well as a portion of the Tiwi field's exploration and development. NPC would construct and run the geothermal power stations. The first two units were put into service in 1979. Units 3 through 6 would be operational from 1980 to 1982.[2]

The geothermal field would then be acquired by Aboitiz Power in 2009.[3][4] The company would own and operate the plant under its subsidiary AP Renewables.[5]

In January 2023, a new binary cycle power plant within the Tiwi Geothermal Power Plant broke ground. It will add 17-MW capacity to the existing geothermal complex.[6]

Facilities

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The Tiwi Geothermal Field is divided into four geographical areas: Naglagbong, Kapipihan, Matalibong, and Bariis.[2] At one point it had six units and a 330-MW capacity.[7]

As of December 2021, the Tiwi geothermal facility has four units and a capacity of 234-MW.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "List of Existing Power Plants (Grid-connected) as of December 2021" (PDF). Department of Energy. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Tiwi". National Geothermal Association of the Philippines. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  3. ^ Gatdula, Donnabelle (July 31, 2008). "Aboitiz group bags Tiwi-Makban power complex with $447-M bid". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  4. ^ Gatdula, Donnabelle (October 2, 2009). "Aboitiz Power pays full P12.12 billion for Tiwi-Makban". The Philippine Star. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  5. ^ Macapagal, Jed (January 29, 2023). "Powering up communities for cleaner, better future". Malaya Business Insights. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  6. ^ "AboitizPower expects 17 MW more from Tiwi geothermal". BusinessWorld. January 17, 2023. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  7. ^ "Tiwi Geothermal Power Plant Complex Rehabilitation Project" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on March 8, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2011.