EDC wind project boasts of top safety standards

MANILA, Philippines - The Burgos Wind Project (BWP) of Lopez-led Energy Development Corp. (EDC) in Ilocos Norte has achieved 1.04 million safe work hours without a lost time incident after eight months of full construction works, its top official announced during the weekend.

EDC president and chief executive officer Richard Tantoco said the achievement reflects the company’s adherence to safety standards.

“Our strict adherence to the highest safety standards, the dedication of our safety team in ensuring compliance, and making safety a way of life not only for our employees but also for our contractors led to the achievement of this milestone,” Tantoco said.

The 87-megawatt (MW) Burgos Wind Project, which is targeted for commissioning in the last quarter of the year, is projected to be the largest wind farm in the Philippines.

Tantoco said that once operational, the project could generate about 233 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity a year, enough to power more than a million households and augment the Luzon grid’s dependable capacity.

The grid needs an additional 4,200 MW in the next ten years, EDC also said.

Aside from the wind farm, the project also includes a 115-kilovolt (kV) transmission line connecting the wind farm from the Burgos substation to the Laoag substation of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), the country’s grid operator, as well as the expansion of the substations.

The $300 million Burgos Wind Project is EDC’s first foray into the wind energy business.

EDC broke ground for the project in April last year after signing an EPC contract with Vestas, the world’s leading wind turbine manufacturer.

The Burgos Project is part of the move of First Gen Corp., the affiliate firm of EDC to be the country’s leading renewable energy firm.