SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP), a joint venture of AboitizPower and Norwegian firm Scatec, will be building more battery storage facilities near their hydropower sites, following the successful launch of the Magat battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Ramon, Isabela this January.
"We're already waiting on an investment decision next month. Two more battery projects. We have four hydropower sites, so we're building batteries next to all of them. That's already next in line," said Scatec Country manager Philippines Andrea Isabel Co in a chance interview during an event hosted by Ambassador of Norway to the Philippines Christian Halas Lyster for the visiting Norway State Secretary Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik to the country on April 25.
The firm is expanding the Magat BESS to Phase 2 and constructing a battery facility in Binga [Hydroelectric Power Plant in Benguet] with a combined additional battery capacity close to 100 megawatts (MW).
The next two projects are expected to be operational within the next two to three years.
In January, the Magat BESS was the first battery facility in the country, with Magat as the first hydropower site with battery. Within its vicinity is also a floating solar, which makes it the first location with the three technology assets in the Philippines.
"It's the first big milestone for spending, that means we've already achieved the level of comfort that this project will go through construction and operation, meaning the key critical milestones like making sure all the right and key permits are in place --environment permit, clearance, local community support -- and the offtake is already confirmed, where you're gonna sell the power," she explained, including securing the exclusive rights for the site of the battery.
"We know it now quite well because we were successful in the first one, so we understand how it works now," she added.
Magat BESS began construction in the third quarter of 2022, with the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract signed with Hitachi Energy.