The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has granted a provisional authority for Victorias Milling Company (VMC) to operate its 40-megawatt (MW) biomass co-generation power plant in Victorias City, Negros Occidental. 

In its disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday, VMC also said its power plant has an eligible capacity of 21.45MW for the Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) program. 

The FiT is a scheme under Republic Act 9513 or the Renewable Energy (RE) Act of 2008, wherein power generating companies are expected to source RE-derived electricity at a guaranteed fixed price. 

The ERC also granted provisional authority to the company’s 4MW black start diesel generating units. 

The provisional authority for the biomass plant and diesel generating units covers a period of one year from March 10, 2022, to March 9, 2023. 

VMC’s biomass power plant commenced operations in 2019. The power plant runs on bagasse, a byproduct of sugarcane.

Photo courtesy of Victoria’s Millings Company’s Facebook Page