Bidding well underway for 500MW expansion of EGCO’s Quezon power plant

Electricity Generating Public Company Ltd. of Thailand is expected to award the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the 500-megawatt expansion of a coal-fired power plant in Quezon province in the second half of 2013.

A report by the Energy Department said the award of the contract was expected in July 2013, while the design and construction would start by January 2014.

The report also said the 500-MW expansion would be completed by the second quarter of 2016.

EGCO controls 98 percent of Quezon Power Philippines Ltd., which operates the existing 460 coal-fired power plant in Quezon. Quezon Power supplies power to Manila Electric Co.

“We’ll be looking to share facilities with the first unit as opposed to building a completely new standalone facility… Our expectation is that we can make it a little more competitive because of that,” Quezon Power Philippines managing director Frank Thiel said earlier.

EGCO is in talks with Meralco for a joint venture agreement for the planned 500-MW expansion.  Egco expects to complete the Quezon Power plant expansion by 2017.