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TWO geothermal power facilities of First Gen-owned Energy Development Corporation (EDC) have surpassed the expected 25-year life span of geothermal systems and remain in operation for 40 years now, supplying clean, renewable, and reliable energy to Luzon and Visayas since 1983.
The 112.5-megawatt (MW) Palinpinon geothermal power plant in Valencia, Negros Oriental and the 123 MW Tongonan Geothermal Power Plant (TGPP) in Leyte hold impressive records of generating almost 2,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) every year.
Celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, the journey of these two geothermal facilities are a testament to the resiliency and sustainability of geothermal projects that put the Philippines on the map as the world’s third-largest geothermal energy producer.
“Looking at how all these components worked separately, but toward a common goal of enabling EDC to generate a stable source of 100% clean, renewable power all these years, is like looking at pieces of a sustainability puzzle where people, planet, and shall I say, power or profit, have all been in harmony, resulting in 40 years of Palinpinon and Tongonan,” says EDC President Jerome Cainglet.
The Lopez group’s commitment to a secure energy future was undertaken in 2007 when it acquired PNOC-EDC through its power arm, First Gen Corporation, and gave birth to what is known today as the EDC.
Tongonan’s journey
TGPP’s journey from 1983 to 2023 stands a symbol of collective potential to overcome challenges, to innovate, and to create a brighter future.
Inaugurated on July 2, 1983, the TGPP started with a rated capacity of 112.5 MW and its yearly power generation output then ranged from 200 to 400 gigawatt hours.
Located in Ormoc City and the Municipality of Kananga, Leyte province, the Tongonan plant was among the power assets successfully privatized by the government in 2001 when Republic Act 9136 or the EPIRA Law was passed. It was in 2009 when TGPP was turned over to EDC subsidiary, Green Core Geothermal, Inc., after it was acquired from the state.
During the turnover of TGPP, there were only two units that were functioning properly while one unit was on shutdown due to high vibration of the turbine. EDC immediately went to work and rehabilitated the plant.
However, when typhoon Yolanda made landfall in the Philippines in 2013, the TGPP was badly hit, damaging its cooling towers and buildings. EDC swiftly stepped up efforts to fully bring back the power plant on line to ensure availability of electricity in the community.
“Super Typhoon Yolanda has left devastation in Leyte and EDC facilities but despite the chaos, destruction and challenges, EDC has demonstrated teamwork, solidarity and trust within EDC and the Lopez Group making the path to recovery of EDC Leyte Kapamilya and Leyteños easier,” recalls Christian Vic C. Sotto, TGPP senior maintenance engineer.
The Tongonan geothermal plant has since became a symbol of sustainable progress, as well as the resilience of EDC’s personnel and facilities.
“As we reflect on this, it is clear that the Tongonan geothermal power plant is not just a power generation facility. Its milestones represent the convergence of technology, sustainability, and humanity’s dedication,” recalls Jose Mari Diez, TGPP production engineer.
After the destructive typhoon, the TGPP was damaged by the 6.5 magnitude earthquake that hit the province of Leyte in July 2017.
EDC had to double efforts to improve and upgrade the power facility. All three steam turbines were retrofitted, all three generators were rehabilitated, and new transformers were installed. The TGPP’s capacity was increased to 123 MW from 112.5MW.
The plant’s increased capacity played a vital role in meeting the growing energy demands of the country. It has generated a total of 23,460 gigawatt hours of energy as of June this year since its commercial operation in 1983. This is equivalent to 13.8 million barrels of oil and avoided about 16.63 tons of CO2 in-lieu of coal.[1]
TGPP’s journey underscores that innovation is not only a cornerstone of growth but also a pathway to a cleaner and more regenerative future.
Further, the plant underwent a major shift from an analog control system to a distributed control system, thus improving precision, accuracy, and consistency in operations.
Cutting-edge technologies and continuous research have also paved the way for higher energy yields.
EDC’s first geo-powered
electric vehicle (EV)
Last year, EDC launched its first “Geo 24/7” vehicle that sources its fuel from steam energy from the charging station that it built at its TGPP.
Geo 24/7 is EDC’s own brand of geothermal energy that has been providing the country that much needed clean, low carbon power 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round for over 40 years.
EDC plans to launch more EVs in the future from the current three that are already at the site. All EVs are being tested in EDC’s Leyte project site for six months to determine how many units should be added to its rented fleet not only in Leyte but also in all its facilities across the country.
“Our long-term goal is to roll out this project in all EDC sites across the country. After all, what we want is to continuously be true and consistent with our mission to have a decarbonized future,” says EDC’s supply chain head for indirect category and program manager for EV projects Gloria Amboy.
EDC is also looking at renting electric buses that will shuttle its employees to its project sites and put up EV charging stations in its host city, starting off with Ormoc City in Leyte. The company has partnered with equipment and service vehicle provider Hong Equipment and Development (HEAD) Corporation for its EV fleet.
“This electric vehicle symbolizes our company’s over 30-year journey as a partner of EDC. It is the most modern model that can run for 300-400 kilometers when fully charged. More than just an electric vehicle, what makes it special is it is powered by geothermal, which makes it a 100% renewable energy-powered vehicle.
Others are powered by electricity that usually comes from carbon-intensive coal. This EV is the vehicle of the future. Thank you, EDC, for making this happen,” says William Hong, Vice President for Business Development at HEAD Corporation, which provides the EV units to EDC.
Battery storage
There are also plans to develop battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the area to optimize TGPP’s resources and also provide ancillary services to the grid.
“BESS is a concept that’s evolving … I think storage will continue to be an opportunity to capture energy, whether in hydro, solar or geothermal,” says Allan Barcena, EDC head of corporate social responsibility and public relations.
BESS facilities are used to store excess power from power plants during off-peak hours. These are tapped for power when electricity demand increases to augment supply and prevent outages.
EDC had already signed an agreement last October with First Balfour Inc., the Lopezes’ construction and engineering unit, for the development of three BESS projects with a combined capacity of 40 MW. These projects will be located within EDC’s geothermal power plants in Leyte, Sorsogon, and Negros Oriental provinces.
“TGPP has witnessed transformative growth, innovation, and dedication that has positioned TGPP as a beacon of sustainable energy and progress. The milestones achieved have been nothing short of remarkable,” Diez comments.
‘Palinpinon, not just a power generation facility’
Located in the island of Negros, the Palinpinon geothermal power plant is a symbol of the island’s commitment to regeneration, serving the needs of the power consumers in Luzon and Visayas since 1983.
Its three units boosted renewable energy in the country’s power mix through its annual power generation of over 1,000 GWh.
“Much has already been said about how our company started and commissioned Palinpinon in 1983 to reduce our country’s dependence on imported fuel,” says Cainglet. “How our Subsurface and Facilities Operations & Maintenance teams in EDC have worked hard all these years to be able to find that sweet spot to sustainably generate steam and convert it to the clean energy that is powering the economic growth of the Visayas as well as Luzon regions up to now,” he adds.
The Palinpinon geothermal facility now enters a new decade as EDC continues to fulfill its mission to forge collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future for the municipality of Valencia, for the entire Negros Island, and for the rest of the country.
Unknown to some, EDC spearheaded BINHI, a forest regeneration program that seeks to propagate endangered, indigenous tree species in order to protect and grow steam reservoirs that are critical to geothermal energy production. This is among the many initiatives that makes EDC the world’s largest vertically integrated geothermal company and the biggest renewable energy firm in the country.
The company’s first state-of-the-art vegetative materials reproduction (VMR) or automated nursery facility was set up in Valencia, Negros Oriental five years ago. It was relaunched in June this year to fortify its commitment to continue greening Negros Island not only through the 100-percent renewable energy that it generates 24/7 from geothermal but also through BINHI, which has received accolades over the past years.
BINHI likewise became EDC’s contribution to the 10 Million in 10 Years Movement (10M in 10) that it launched in 2015 to encourage individuals and organizations to plant, grow, and nurture at least 10 million trees in 10 years to continue greening Negros Island.
On its sixth year in 2021, EDC and the rest of its 267 ‘10M in 10’ partners were able to complete its target of planting 10 million trees in Negros Island and are now nurturing them to make the Island even greener.
During COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 – 2022 and super typhoon Odette in 2021, the Palinpinon geothermal power plant served as a reliable homebase for the company’s community support and disaster relief operations. All these efforts have indelibly left a positive mark in the lives of EDC’s stakeholders in the province.
“As I look back at my three decades at Palinpinon Geothermal Power Plant, I am filled with gratitude and pride for the remarkable journey we have undertaken together.
Let us continue to be a beacon of safety, setting standards and inspiring others both here in EDC and the rest of the industry,” says Dante Angeles, the current Maintenance Team Head of Palinpinon-1, who had joined the facility back in 1992.
What’s next?
Through the four decades, TGPP and the PGPP have weathered various obstacles by adapting to the necessary changes.
“How do we get to the next 10, 20 or even 40 years for Tongonan and Palinpinon? It’s a very important question since we need renewable energy, especially a stable 24/7 supply like geothermal, in our fight against climate change,” says Cainglet.
EDC cannot do it alone. As such, Cainglet called on everyone to forge collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future. “This is where all of us here today should think of ourselves not as a separate entity or a mere guest but as a part of a whole, as this mission becomes our mission. We need all of us to be in this together,” he points out at the company’s 40th celebration event for both Tongonan and Palinpinon-1.
EDC indeed takes its mission as a renewable energy provider seriously and goes beyond sustainability by investing in programs that enhance the environment and empower its partner communities, thereby fostering regenerative development.
“Let us continue to find ways, to elevate our relationship, to ensure that all our efforts will work toward regeneration—by creating exponential good for our communities, for our province, and for our planet,” Cainglet adds.
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