MANILA - State-run Philippine National Oil Co.-Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC) is looking at the possibility of putting up a natural gas power plant to utilize the additional 300 megawatts (MW) generated by the Malampaya deep-water gas-to-power project.

In an interview, Jacinto Paras, PNOC-EC chairman, said the additional 300 MW will be bid out by the Malampaya consortium in September, of which PNOC-EC is a member.

The company owns a 10% stake in the Malampaya project, while Shell Philippines Exploration BV (Spex) and Chevron Malampaya Llc. each hold a 45% interest.

Paras said the company is completing the feasibility study for the natural gas power plant. “We plan to join the bidding. And God willing, if we win the bidding, we will put up that plant.”

The PNOC-EC chief also hinted that should they lose in the bidding, the company is open to forming a joint venture with the winning bidder. He, however, declined to identify the companies they are in talks with, saying these are mostly verbal agreements and that no formal agreement has been made yet.

With a number of PNOC-EC projects hinged on natural gas, Paras said they hope to get it the additional 300-MW supply. He pointed to the Batangas-Manila gas pipeline, which is expected to bring natural gas closer to the transport sector. He said offering natural gas to vehicles will be made economical if the load is anchored to a power plant based in Manila.

At present, there are 2,700-MW of power generated from three natural gas-fired power plants in the country the 1,000-MW Sta. Rita and 500-MW San Lorenzo natural gas-fired power plants of First Gen and the 1,271-MW Ilijan natural gas-fired power plant of Korea Electric Power Corp.