$500-m Masinloc Coal Plant expansion up

AES Corp. of the US has committed to expand the 600-megawatt Masinloc coal-fired power plant in Zambales province by an initial 300 MW at a cost of $500 million.

Andrew Horrocks, country manager of AES Philippines, told reporters at the sidelines of a conference Thursday that the company was waiting for government permits to go ahead with the expansion

“We are on expansion stage. We are going through the process, getting the environmental clearance certificate and final stage of permits,” Horrocks told reporters.

Horrocks expects to receive approval of the Masinloc permits by November. He said the coal plant expansion received strong support from the local communities.

“We have very good relationship with them, no problem with that,” he said.

Horrocks said the company hoped to start construction soon.

He said the company sought approval to expand the power plant by 600 MW.

“The first 300 MW [is] roughy around half a billion dollars. Our permitting is for 600 MW but our view is 300 MW by 2015,” the AES official said.