MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — The Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) Compliance Officers (WCO) Summit made its return after a one-year break, gathering hundreds of power industry participants on October 24, 2024, under the theme “Setting the Gold Standard in Market Governance.”
The summit, held in Mandaue City, highlighted the crucial role of compliance in the energy sector, awarding top-performing power companies for their exceptional adherence to market rules. The event featured discussions on the latest industry developments, including the newly introduced Reserve Market.
Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara, the keynote speaker, underscored the importance of strict compliance in the power sector to foster growth, particularly in light of new initiatives such as the Reserve Market.
“This is a great opportunity to remind our ancillary service providers (ASPs) to adhere to the compliance standards under the recently promulgated Ancillary Services Monitoring (ASM) Manual, particularly on the submission of offers, and the timeliness and accuracy of AS provision,” Guevara said.
The Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) President and WESM Governance Officer Elvin Hayes E. Nidea welcomed the participants, acknowledging the industry’s challenges, such as supply deficits and increasing demand, but praised the resilience and success of the WESM players.
“This year has been a challenging one for the industry as we purposefully try to navigate the tough terrain of supply deficits, increasing demands, and regulatory challenges that beset the spot market,” Nidea remarked.
Elaine R. de Guzman-Gonzales, PEMC’s Chief Internal Audit Officer, expressed optimism in her closing remarks, emphasizing that compliance is the foundation for the industry’s growth.
“May your success inspire others to continually improve their systems and processes to ensure compliance with the market rules and regulations. As competition goes well beyond the market, innovation and improvements are driven by the very basic foundation of trust and compliance,” Gonzales stated.
The awards recognized various categories, with standout performers including Smith Bell Mini-Hydro Corporation, which topped the Run-of-River Hydro category for its 1.800 MW Commonal-Uddiawan Mini-Hydro Power Plant, and Ecopark Energy of Valenzuela Corp., which led the Solar category with its 16.002 MWp Tagalag Solar Power Plant.
In the wind category, Guimaras Wind Corporation took first place for its San Lorenzo Wind Farm Project, while Therma Luzon, Inc. led the Coal category for its Pagbilao Coal-Fired Power Plant 1 & 2.
Other notable awardees included SN Aboitiz Power, which secured the top spot in the Hydro category for its Binga Hydroelectric Power Plant, and Prime Meridian PowerGen Corporation, recognized for its San Gabriel Avion Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant in the Natural Gas category.
Mindanao-based companies were also honored, with Mindanao Energy Systems’ 9.21 MW Cabulig Mini-Hydroelectric Power Plant taking first place among hydroelectric facilities, and Lamsan Power Corporation recognized in the Biomass category for its 15.0 MW power plant.
The WCO Summit, held annually, recognizes the importance of compliance in ensuring efficient market operations, and the awards serve as a testament to the participants’ commitment despite operational and budgetary challenges.
These awards build on last year’s WESM Compliance Officers Conferment and Annual Compliance Awards (WCACA), which similarly highlighted the dedication of market players to maintaining high standards of governance in the power industry.
The awarding of winners was based on compliance averages measured in different categories as follows:
Must-Dispatch Generation Units
| WESM Generator
Classification |
Rank | Company Name | Facility Name |
| Run-of-River Hydro | 1st
|
Smith Bell Mini-Hydro Corporation | 1.800 MW Commonal-Uddiawan Mini-Hydro Power Plant
|
| 2nd | Hedcor Sabangan, Inc.
|
Sabangan Hydroelectric Power Plant
|
|
| 3rd | Northern Renewables Generation Corporation
|
Bakun Hydro Electric Power Plant
|
|
| Solar | 1st
|
Ecopark Energy of Valenzuela Corp.
|
Ecopark Energy Isla Power Plant, 16.002 MWp (Phases 2 and 3) Tagalag Solar Power Plant
|
| 2nd | Jobin-SQM Inc.
|
100.533 MWp Sta. Rita Solar Power Plant (SPP)
|
|
| 3rd | Sulu Electric Power and Light (Phils.), Inc.
|
49.754 MWp Sepalco Castilla Solar Power Plant
|
|
| Wind | 1st
|
Guimaras Wind Corporation | San Lorenzo Wind Farm Project
|
| 2nd | North Wind Power Development Corporation | Phases I and II Bangui Bay Wind Power Plant, Phase III Bangui Bay Wind Power Plant
|
|
| 3rd | North Luzon Renewable Energy Corporation | Caparispisan Wind Power Plant
|
|
| Mindanao Top 3 Recognition | 1st | Mindanao Energy Systems – Cabulig | 9.21 MW Cabulig Mini-Hydroelectric Power Plant Units 1 & 2
|
| 2nd | Bubunawan Power Company, Inc. | 6.57 MW Bubunawan Hydroelectric Power Plant
|
|
| 3rd | Asiga Green Energy Corp. | 8 MW ASIGA Hydroelectric Power Plant
|
Scheduled Generating Units
| WESM Generator
Classification |
Rank | Company Name | Facility Name |
| Biomass | 1st | Cagayan Biomass Energy Corporation | 15.00 MW Biomass Power Plant
|
| 2nd | VS Gripal Power Corporation | 6 MW Biomass Power Plant
|
|
| 3rd | Grassgold Renewable Energy Corporation | 12 MW Biomass Power Plant
|
|
| Coal | 1st | Therma Luzon, Inc. | Pagbilao Coal-Fired Power Plant 1 & 2
|
| 2nd | Limay Power Inc. | SMC Limay Coal Power Plant 1, 2, 3, & 4
|
|
| 3rd | Pagbilao Energy Corporation | Pagbilao 3 Power Plant
|
|
| Geothermal | 1st | Bac-Man Geothermal Inc. | Bacman Geothermal Power Plant Unit 1, 2, & 3
|
| 2nd | Energy Development Corporation | Nasulo Geothermal Power Plant
|
|
| 3rd | Green Core Geothermal Inc. | Palinpinon Geothermal Power Plant I
|
|
| Hydro | 1st | SN Aboitiz Power – Benguet, Inc. | Binga Hydroelectric Power Plant – Unit 1, 2, 3, 4
|
| 2nd | SN Aboitiz Power – Benguet, Inc. | Ambuklao Hydroelectric Power Plant Unit 1, 2, 3
|
|
| 3rd | SN Aboitiz Power – Magat, Inc. | Magat Hydroelectric Power Plant Unit 1, 2, 3, 4
|
|
| Natural Gas | 1st | Prime Meridian PowerGen Corporation | San Gabriel Avion Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant Unit 1 & 2
|
| 2nd | First Gas Power Corporation (Sta. Rita) | Sta. Rita Natural Gas Power Plant 1, 2, 3, 4
|
|
| 3rd | FGP Corporation (San Lorenzo) | San Lorenzo Combined-Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant Unit 50 & 60
|
|
| Oil-based | 1st | Central Negros Power Reliability, Inc. | Calumangan Diesel Power Plant
|
| 2nd | SPC Island Power Corporation | Bohol Diesel Power Plant Unit 1, 2, 3, 4
|
|
| 3rd | SPC Power Corporation | Power Barge 104 Unit 1, 2, 3, 4
|
Non-Scheduled Generating Units
| Rank | Company Name | Facility Name |
| 1st | SN Aboitiz Power – Magat, Inc. | Maris Canal HEPP Unit 1, 2
|
| 2nd | Amlan Hydroelectric Power Corporation | Amlan Hydro Electric Power Plant
|
| 3rd | Sta. Clara Power Corporation | Loboc Hydro Electric Power Plant
|
Mindanao Top 5 Recognition (Q3 & Q4)
| Resource Type | Company Name | Facility Name |
| Biomass | Lamsan Power Corporation | 15.0 MW Biomass Power Plant
|
| Coal | Therma South, Inc. | TSI Coal-fired Power Plant
|
| Geothermal | Energy Development Corporation | 54.24 MW Mindanao I Geothermal Power Plant
|
| Hydro | Power Sector Asset and Liabilities Management Corporation | 255 MW Pulangi IV Hydroelectric Power Plant
|
| Oil-Based | Mindanao Energy Systems | Sulzer Diesel Power Plant |
These awards were also given last year at the WESM Compliance Officers Conferment and Annual Compliance Awards (WCACA), in an effort to recognize the market participants’ commitment to market compliance despite budget constraints.
