PSALM okays 4 bidders for Cebu IPP contract

MANILA, Philippines - The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) board has approved the list of qualified bidders for the right to manage the contracted capacity of the Naga Power Complex in Cebu.

Without revealing the identities of the bidders, PSALM president and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma said they have allowed at least four bidders to join the auction.

Ledesma said they will try to hold the bidding within the year.

Earlier, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said the privatization of the remaining plants and contracts of PSALM may be moved to next year.

For other assets, Ledesma said they are awaiting the guidance of the Department of Energy (DOE).

For now, the appointment of independent power producer administrators (IPPAs) for the Unified Leyte geothermal power plant, the Naga power plant complex, and the Malaya thermal power plant has been put on hold.

Also, PSALM still has to schedule the bidding for the 782-megawatt (MW) Caliraya-Botokan-Kalayaan hydropower plants, the 100-MW Western Mindanao Power Corp., the 50-MW Southern Philippines Power Corp., the 200-MW Mindanao coal power plant, the 92.52-MW Mt. Apo 1 and 2 geothermal power plants, and the 165-MW Casecnan hydroelectric power plant.

The sale of Power Barge 101-104 set at the end of the year has likewise been put on hold.

The privatization of other remaining power plants such as the Agus-Pulangui hydro complex and the Sucat facility will follow the directions of the DOE or the PSALM board or an appropriate authority. 

The sale of the Agus-Pulangui power plants will be conducted in consultation with Congress. The Sucat plant, meanwhile, may be recommissioned by the DOE as part of its Energy Reform Agenda.

PSALM is also preparing the sale program for its real estate and other non-power assets.