Pangilinan’s PowerGen submit bid for Singapore energy construction

Meralco PowerGen Corp.-led PacificLight Power Pte Ltd. (PLP) has submitted a bid to Singapore’s Energy Market Authority for the construction of a 600-megawatt (MW) combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant, officials said.

The tender, submitted on Nov. 1, is under evaluation, with a decision expected by the end of 2024 or early 2025, PLP and Meralco PowerGen officials confirmed.

Yari Miralao, president and CEO of MGEN Gas Energy Holdings, said the proposed 600 MW facility is designed to enhance efficiency, reliability, and capacity on Singapore’s grid.

Miralao estimated the project’s cost at $900 million, based on an industry benchmark of $1.5 million per megawatt.

PLP, which currently supplies electricity to around 1.2 million Singaporean households through its 830 MW CCGT plant on Jurong Island, is also constructing a 100 MW fast-start gas turbine facility slated for completion in the second quarter of 2025.

In addition, PLP and its partners are developing a 670 MW-peak solar farm in Bulan Island, Indonesia, with plans to export electricity to Singapore via a subsea cable, supporting the city-state’s target of sourcing 30% of its energy from renewables by 2030.

“We are also working with a consortium of partners to deliver one of Singapore’s pioneering renewable energy projects, aligned with their target of achieving 30 percent renewable energy by 2030. In line with this, MGEN plans to actively support Singapore’s renewable energy transition through the importation of solar energy from Indonesia,” Miralao said.

PLP’s projects are part of MGEN’s strategy to lead the transition to cleaner energy, both in the Philippines and overseas, Miralao added.

Meralco PowerGen and Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd. are joint venture partners in PLP, with the Meralco unit holding a majority stake.