INFOGRAPHIC: Top power players in the Philippines

San Miguel leads the biggest privately-controlled power producers in the country

MANILA, Philippines - The cost of generating electricity from different energy sources is
the single biggest item in most of Philippine consumers electricity bill, at 50% to 60%.
This has propelled the cost of electricity in the country to over P8 kilowatts per hour, one
of the most expensive rates in Asia.

This infograph shows the key private sector players generating the electricity that
retailers sell to end-users, such as households, offices and factories.

Diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. is the biggest producer, accounting for 22%
of the total sold to the grid, based on their aggregate share of power produced in plants
they own or partly own ("attributable capacity" in industry jargon). Even if the group's
unit, SMC Global Power, sold the 620-megawatt (MW) Limay Combined Cycle plant in
2011, its 2,545 megawatt (MW) attributable capacity has eclipsed prominent business
clan, Aboitiz, which comes second at 20% (2,350MW), and the Lopez group third with
18% (2,150 MW).

However, in terms of capacity of all existing power plants -- old, depreciated, or still fully
efficient -- the Aboitiz group still rules. Aboitiz remains the biggest power producer
based on "installed" capacity of 3,426 MW, accounting for 21% of total power sold to the
grid. Aboitiz Power also runs several independent power players (IPP) that sell to state-
run National Power Corporation (Napocor).

The Lopezes, long identified with the power industry, has the greenest portfolio with its
plants sourcing energy mostly from geothermal and natural gas. Lopez-led Energy
Development Corp., is the largest producer of geothermal energy in the Philippines and
the largest IPP in Visayas with 43.3% share.

Over the past decade, the Philippine government actively privatized current power
plants and enticed investors to build additional ones to address lack of capacity,
insufficient reserve margins, and the resulting spikes in spot prices.
New players have emerged, including Global Power Corp. of Metrobanks George Ty
that have power plants in Visayas accounting for 12.3% of total. Other smaller new
entrants in this capital-intensive industry include the Consunjis via SEM-CALACA Power
Corp. (3.7%) and Millenium Holdings (3.8%), which now controls the Limay plant. Some
major Philippine business groups are joining the fray, including the Ayala and Sy groups,
which have sealed partnerships.

Several prominent foreign players include American firm AES that won the bid for
Masinloc power plant in Zambales (3.9% of total), Thai firm EGCO International Co. Ltd.
(3.2%), and Singapores Salcon Power Corp (SPC) (3.8%). Korean firm KEPCO has
several partnerships with existing players, while Japanese firm Team Energy has IPPs
with over 2,000MW capacity.

Government-owned plants in Mindanao, Palawan, Batanes and other island regions,

which are off the grid, remain dependent on power generated by the plants owned and
IPPs commissioned by Napocor. In effect, the state, which used to monopolize power
generation, now accounts for only 8% (1,356MW) nationwide and the IPPs 18%
(2,893MW).

Coal remains the countrys main energy source (30.4% of total), followed by hydro
(21.6%), diesel (18.5%), natural gas (17.7%) and geothermal (11%). Visayas relies
more on geothermal plants (41%) while over half of Mindanao power supply is derived
from hydro plants.

These 2011 data were sourced primarily from the Energy Regulatory Commission,
Department of Energy and the featured business groups corporate websites. -
Rappler.com

http://www.rappler.com/rich-media/14729-infographic-top-power-players-in-the-
philippines January 16, 2013
I think it might have been good to have explained the figures used as "installed
capacity" versus "generating capacity". What we have here is installed capacity only,
and doesn't come close to even reflecting the actual types of power that we are really
generating. Look and Coal and Hydro as an example. On the map, coal comes in at an
installed capacity of 30% and Hydro at an installed capacity of 22% which makes it
seem that the difference between these two resources isn't so large when in fact, it is.
When you look at actual power generated, Coal takes the lion's share and generates
37% while Hydro only generates around 14% of the total actual power, showing a huge
disparity between them.

These details would then let the readers think, why do we have an installed capacity of
22% but only generate 14%? These are some of the intricacies of the power situation in
the Philippines that needs to be talked about and I think it would be great if Rappler tried
because the general public needs to understand the situation for what it is and allow for
more thought provoking questions and observations.

The non-inclusion of government assets on the map, especially in Mindanao, could lead
(and has led some) to misunderstand that Mindanao has no current power assets
available to them. And although I understand that the article's point was to highlight
power players and government assets were mentioned in passing in the article, it might
have been worth it to clarify that more.

Don't get me wrong though. I think this map was very useful in understanding the power
situation of the country as a whole and most of the figures are correct, except for a few
name errors, but otherwise a good start and hopefully more in-depth in the future.