CEBU CITY – A 150-megawatt solar power plant will soon rise in the northern tip of Cebu province.
CEBU Gov. Gwen Garcia (center) leads the groundbreaking for the 150-megawatt solar power plant in Daanbantayan, Cebu. (Sugbo News)
The power facility, which is set to be the biggest in Cebu, will be constructed on a 187-hectare, provincial government-owned property in Barangay Talisay, Daanbantayan town.
The groundbreaking for the massive project was held last Sunday, March 16. The project is a joint venture between Spain-based Acciona Energia and Makati-based Freya Renewables Inc.
With Power China as contractor, the solar farm will operate under a 25-year build-transfer-operate scheme.
Leading the groundbreaking were Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia, Acciona Chairman and CEO Jose Manuel Entrecanales, and Power China representative Amy Wang.
Set to be completed by December next year, the facility is seen to provide cleaner and more affordable electricity to Cebu.
The groundbreaking took place exactly one year after an agreement was signed for the construction of the project.
The implementation of the project faced delays after more than 70 landowners raised the prices of their property more than the zonal value.
“You can count on this Cebu provincial government. You can count on this united One Cebu Island. We will see to it that this project will finish efficiently in the soonest possible time,” Garcia said.
Acciona will fund the construction of the solar plant. Once completed, Acciona shall have exclusive rights to operate and maintain the power plant for 25 years before it will be turned over to the province.
The power plant will provide a steady stream of revenue for the province of Cebu as it collects payment for the lease of its property, percentage shares of revenues from electricity sales, and brokerage fees.