In a bid to provide the island of Bantayan with reliable power supply, Wärtsilä is set to deliver engineering and equipment to a 23MW power plant.

Following the installation, the power plant will supply electricity across the island’s grid, which currently witnesses frequent blackouts due to the lack of a reliable supply.

The project is part of a 15-year power supply agreement between Vivant Energy and the Bantayan Electric Cooperative and is expected to help realise the island’s business and tourism potential.

Emil Andre Garcia, Chief Operating Officer of Vivant Energy, said: “The new power plant is an essential element for a secure economic future for Bantayan island. We are, at the same time, actively seeking to deliver electricity to small islands throughout the region, and a capable, reliable partner with a strong local presence, such as Wärtsilä, is needed for this.”

“Wärtsilä solution features the latest technology with high-efficiency engines, and it will certainly add reliability to the local supply system and another addition to the growing installed base in the off-grid areas in the Philippines,” commented Frederic Carron, Vice President, Middle East and Asia, Wärtsilä Energy Business.

The equipment will be delivered in autumn this year while it is expected to become fully operational by the first quarter of 2021.