AC Energy, Citicore break ground for Pampanga solar farm

AC Energy and Citicore Power have officially begun the construction of its 72-megawatt (MW) Arayat-Mexico solar farm joint venture in Pampanga on Thursday.

The Php2.7-billion project, expected to be commissioned in time for the summer of 2022, will be a critical contribution to the Luzon Grid, which has been struggling to obtain stable power supply in the wake of the recent Red Alerts and rotating brownouts.

Officials led by AC Energy President and CEO Eric Francia, Citicore President Oliver Tan, and Arayat Mayor Emmanuel Alejandrino graced the groundbreaking ceremony.

“One of AC Energy’s success is our team’s ability to work with different partners and we are delighted to jointly develop this solar project with Citicore. Together, we will help augment the much needed grid capacity during the very tight electricity supply situation as our economy recovers from the effects of the pandemic,” Francia said in a statement.

For its part, Citicore welcomes the opportunity and partnership to pursue shared goals.

“We are grateful to play a significant role in this sustainable infrastructure project, especially with respect to boosting local employment, supporting regional economies, and creating a more stable and reliable power supply. We are committed to providing our expertise through innovative renewable energy solutions to help accelerate the shift to [renewable energy] in consumer’s power needs,” Tan said.

“At Citicore, we’d like to inspire a collective movement towards a net-zero carbon emission future, by harnessing renewable energy sources and empowering communities to deliver positive energy. The Arayat-Mexico Solar Farm is another project we will work closely with AC Energy to jointly create a sustainable investment for the communities we serve and all our partner stakeholders,” he added.

Both companies share the same vision of accelerating renewable energy development and help the country achieve its greenhouse gas emissions target to a 75% reduction by 2030. Once completed, the new solar farm will generate enough power to supply clean energy annually to approximately 45,000 homes.

Aside from Citicore, AC Energy has a joint venture with Solar Philippines to develop similar projects nationwide, mostly in Central Luzon.

Earlier this week, the Ayala-led firm announced that it began operating its 120MW solar farm in Alaminos, Laguna. It also opened its 63MW facility in Palauig, Zambales back in April.