The Philippine National Oil Company-Energy Development Corp. has included its geothermal projects in Nasulo, Valencia and Dauin in Oriental in the lined up 330- to 380-megawatt power program in the next three to eight years, the Department of Energy said in a recent report.

The two projects are among the eight which consist either expansion of existing steamfields or the development of new fields.

The commissioning of the 20-MW Nasulo expansion project is set for 2010 while that of the 40-MW Dauin geothermal, for 2011 the report said.

Other projects are the 50-MW Mindanao 3 in North Cotabato, 2010; 40 MW in Tanawon, Sorsogon, 2012; 40 MW in Rangas, Sorsogon, 2013; 40 MW in Kayabon, Albay, 2014; and 100MW to150 MW in Cabalian Souther Leyte, 2015. The DOE is aiming for the installation of an additional 1,200 MW of geothermal capacity within the next ten years that would mean

an increase of about 60 percent from the 2002 level of 1,931 MW, the report said.

These projects are part of the strategy to maintain, if not improve, the Philippines' ranking as the second largest geothermal producer in the world.

"We know the Bicol and Visayas regions are blessed with geothermal resources. We expect PNOC-EDC, now that it is privatized, to have greater flexibility in fast tracking its geothermal projects to meet the increasing demand in these regions," Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said in the report.

DOE records show the Luzon's required capacity is expected to steadily increase by an average of 4.2 percent for a total of additional requirement of 1,989 MW up to year 2014.

For the Visayas, the required capacity is projected to increase at an annual rate of 6.1 percent and will require 869 MW more between 2007 and 2014 while the Mindanao grid will have a shortfall of 826MW by 2014 due to an annual demand rate of 6.3 percent.*

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