MANILA, Philippines — Ayala-led ACEN Corp. has strengthened its foothold in northern Luzon with the recent activation of its first-ever solar farm in Pangasinan.
With a capacity of 60 megawatts (MW), San Manuel Solar is projected to generate 94 gigawatt (GW)-hours of clean power annually, enough to power 55,000 households and avoid around 58,000 metric tons of carbon emissions.
“The project is a key pillar of ACEN’s growing portfolio in northern Luzon, a region with strong potential to accelerate the shift to clean and sustainable energy,” the company said in a stock exchange filing yesterday.
As previously disclosed, the Ayala Group’s listed energy platform allocated around P2.8 billion to develop the project, which utilized ground-mounted photovoltaic panels.
The solar facility was integrated into the country’s power transmission network through a direct connection to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines’ 69-kilovolt San Manuel substation.
Besides solar, the company also owns and operates several wind farms in northern Luzon, including the 52-MW NorthWind, the 160-MW Pagudpud Wind and the 70-MW Capa Wind in Ilocos Norte.
“At ACEN, we know it’s a race against time, and we need big leaps to help curtail potential power shortages and address climate change,” ACEN chief development officer Jose Maria Zabaleta has said.
Currently, ACEN has a global generation portfolio of about seven GW spanning operational, under-construction and committed projects.
Apart from the Philippines, it also has a growing presence in Australia, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Laos and the US.
Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. Sign up now!
Signup for the News Round now

source