From right: EDC business development head Marvin Bailon, EDC deputy COO Jerome Cainglet, REMB-GEMS chief Ariel Fronda and DOE-EPIMB director Mario Marasigan unveil the marker for EDC’s new 3.6-MW geothermal binary power plantEnergy Development Corporation (EDC) inaugurated its 3.6-megawatt (MW) Mindanao 3 (M3) binary geothermal power plant, expanding its existing Mount Apo geothermal facility with additional supply of clean, reliable and stable power in Mindanao.

The ceremony held at the power plant in Brgy. Ilomavis, Kidapawan City, Cotabato was graced by director Mario Marasigan of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, Renewable Energy Management Bureau-Geothermal Energy Management division chief Ariel Fronda, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) chief of conservation and development division Dr. Ali Hadjinassel, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) representative Ronido Sarno, Manobo Apao Descendants Ancestral Domain of Mount Apo chairman Datu Damaso Bayawan, and EDC representatives led by deputy chief operating officer Jerome Cainglet, head of business development Marvin Kenneth Bailon and Mount Apo Geothermal Project Facility head Romy Kee.

Cainglet said the M3 binary plant is part of EDC’s commitment to continuously power the Mindanao region’s growing economy with 100% clean energy to lessen its dependence on fossil fuels such as coal.

“Through our geothermal facilities here in Cotabato which now include M3, we are able to fulfill our revitalized mission to forge collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future in this part of our country,” he said.

The project will not only contribute reliable power to the Mindanao region but will also avoid around 25,000 tonnes of equivalent carbon dioxide each year through the use of clean geothermal energy in lieu of coal.

In his message, Marasigan relayed the DOE’s appreciation for EDC’s new renewable energy facility.

“Congratulations, EDC, for your continued efforts and commitment to generate sustainable and clean energy to the grid for the benefit of the country,” he said.

The project boosted the local economy with a maximum of 567 jobs that it generated for nearby communities at the peak of its construction.

Cainglet also thanked their partners that helped deliver the project in just 13 months safely and with quality, including their equipment manufacturer, Exergy, and their contractor service provider, First Balfour Inc.

Critical stakeholders that supported the development of the project included the DOE, NGCP, the Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Labor and Employment and DENR. (Story/Photos by: Frances Ariola)