First Gen restoring switchyard of Batangas power plant

First Gen told the local bourse that no power from these plants could currently be exported to the grid since the switchyard connects the San Lorenzo, 414-MW San Gabriel and 97-MW Avion power plants to the transmission lines of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP). (Photo: First Gen Corporation/ Facebook)

MANILA–Listed power conglomerate First Gen Corp. on Monday said it is working to restore the operability of the switchyard of its 500-megawatt (MW) San Lorenzo natural gas-fired power plants which was damaged by the earthquakes that hit Batangas last week.

First Gen told the local bourse that no power from these plants could currently be exported to the grid since the switchyard connects the San Lorenzo, 414-MW San Gabriel and 97-MW Avion power plants to the transmission lines of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

It said the plant’s switchyard operability would enable resumption of operation of these three power plants, all of which are located within the First Gen Clean Energy Complex in Batangas City.

The conglomerate is teaming up with Siemens Power Operations Inc. (SPOI), the operations and maintenance (O&M) contractor for the San Lorenzo and San Gabriel power plants, to restore its operations.

Its other 1,000-MW Santa Rita power plant tripped following the Saturday earthquakes.

But based on preliminary assessment, the Santa Rita plant did not suffer any significant damage and has since resumed operations.