This 53-year-old facility is some 58 km northeast of Manila in Norzagaray, Bulacan, on the Angat River. It supplies more than 90 per cent of Metro Manila’s potable water needs and provides for the irrigation needs of 25,000 hectares of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga. This contract is the first major rehabilitation program since the facility was commissioned in 1967.
The Angat plant contains four 50 MW turbine-generator units and uses five auxiliary units. GE Renewable Energy’s hydro teams in Europe and the Americas will be responsible for the supply of two new 50 MW Francis turbines, four new 50 MW generators and three new upgraded auxiliary turbines and generators. They will be in charge of the assessment of the penstock and the powerhouse, and a new control system will also be provided.
GE Renewable Energy will work closely with a local partner, Desco, that will install and commission the Angat plant. Once fully upgraded in 2023, the capacity of the plant will be increased by about 4 per cent, bringing it to 226.6 MW.
“I am delighted to start this collaboration with Angat Hydropower Corporation and support the country upgrading its hydropower assets,” said Pascal Radue, president and chief executive officer of GE’s Hydro Solutions.
“In the Philippines, … the energy demand increases by ~7% annually and relies on hydropower to meet the demand. The country is also enjoying a strong economic growth. I am proud that GE Renewable Energy is part of this project that will provide the population with clean energy for many years.”
