MANILA, Philippines — Aboitiz Power Corp., the country’s leading power producer, is spending roughly P8.4 billion to construct a massive wind project in Bangui, Ilocos Norte.
AboitizPower, through Luzon Cleanergy Generation Inc. (LCGI), is seeking key environmental clearance for the 132.8-megawatt Bangui 2 Wind Power Project.
Based on the indicative timetable, the start of construction is scheduled as early as April 2029, with commercial operations targeted for the second quarter of 2031.
“The proposed wind power plant will help augment the demand for reliable and affordable power supply,” LCGI said in a document submitted to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The project’s service contract covers 3,321 hectares, but only 656.96 hectares will be utilized.
LCGI is expected to apply for a sustainable forest land management agreement with the DENR, given that the planned wind farm will be built on public forest land.
The Ilocos Norte project aims to support the country’s ambitious target of increasing the share of renewables in the energy mix to 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040 from the current 25 percent.
Under the Philippine Energy Plan, the country’s total electricity sales are projected to expand to 408.11 terawatt-hours by 2050 from 91.3 TWh in 2022.
Similarly, peak electricity demand is expected to triple to 68.5 gigawatts by 2050 from 16.6 GW in 2022.
Of the total projected peak demand, the Luzon grid is likely to account for the largest share or about 70 percent.
“The proposed project will not only supply enough electricity to Filipino households and businesses but will also contribute to national development,” LCGI said.
LCGI is a subsidiary of Aboitiz Renewables Inc., the renewable energy arm of AboitizPower.
This year, AboitizPower sustains its dominance in the power generation sector with a market share of 24.3 percent, nearing the 25-percent limit under the law.
The company has set aside around P62 billion for capital spending in 2026, with the bulk earmarked for its clean energy pipeline.