New Philippine geothermal plant starts building

The Philippines breaks ground for its first geothermal power plant in five years.

Located in Batangas province south of Metro Manila, the “Maibarara Geothermal Plant” is also the first power plant built by the administration of Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino. It is the closest geothermal plant to Metro Manila.

The plant is owned Maibarara Geothermal, Inc. (MGI), a joint-venture of PetroGreen Energy Corp., a subsidiary of PetroEnergy Resources Corp., Trans-Asial Oil and Energy Development Corp., and government-owned Philippine National Oil Company-Renewable Corporation.

The 20 megawatt power plant is an integrated steam field and power plant facility that should be operational by late 2013. It is the Philippines’ newest geothermal power plant after the 49MW Northern Negros plant commissioned in 2007.