Philippines further delays sale of 650MW Malaya thermal plant

The energy department requires probe in running Malaya as a "must-run unit".

650MW Malaya thermal power plant's divestment has been further stalled as the Department of Energy mandated a study that will assess if the facility must be continuously used as a "must-run unit" or if it should be converted to gas or coal-fired plant, as previously proposed.

A must-run unit is a plant that can be used for dispatch during specific circumstances in the power system. Malaya plant has been used during cases of tight supply in the Luzon grid.

In an interview, energy assistant secretary Leonido Pulido said that cost-wise, one of the problems they keep having with Malaya is the massive Php8b (US$156m) cost of running it.