CITICORE RENEWABLE Energy Corp. (CREC) has broken ground for a 240-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Binalonan, Pangasinan, the company announced on Wednesday.
“This is only the start of renewable energy developments in the province,” CREC President and Chief Executive Officer Oliver Y. Tan said in a statement.
“Through partnerships of this nature, we aim to catalyze growth and prosperity across the entire province,” he added.
Once completed, the project is expected to have an annual generation capacity of approximately 326 gigawatt-hours, enough to power approximately 136,000 households, CREC said.
The Pangasinan solar power plant marks the company’s second groundbreaking this year, following the 69-MW solar power facility in Silay City, Negros Occidental.
Its first phase, comprising a capacity of 168 MW, is slated for commercial operations by the end of 2024, while the second phase, with 72 MW, is expected to produce power in December 2025.
On top of the Binalonan groundbreaking, CREC announced its plans for two other projects in Pangasinan: another 270-MW solar plant, which will start together with the Binalonan project, and a 150-MW onshore wind power project. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
