APECO in Talks with Power Firms for Casiguran Economic Zone Utilities

The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) said it is in talks with power companies to set up an electricity distribution system in its Casiguran economic zone (ecozone). “We’re exploring a distribution utility agreement, just like what they have in New Clark City and in PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority)-registered ecozones,” APECO President and Chief Executive Officer Gil G. Taway IV told reporters last week. Two other Philippine renewable (RE) companies and a US clean-energy firm have also expressed interest to establish potential projects within the Aurora ecozone, Mr. Taway said. He said interest in setting up power infrastructure in the Casiguran ecozone will send a strong signal to potential locators. APECO has been pushing for clean energy investments to support its partnership with Japanese-backed telecommunications firm InfiniVAN to build backbone infrastructure in Casiguran. Infrastructure support will be critical in attracting investment in data centers that handle artificial intelligence and computing workloads, he said. Mr. Taway noted that one data-center company will need up to 300 megawatts of clean power to operate in the ecozone. Deploying clean energy in Casiguran will also support the development of other industries like fisheries and cold-chain operations, manufacturing, port and logistics activities, tourism and national defense. In an investment mission to Malaysia this month, APECO held exploratory discussions with one of Malaysia’s largest energy companies, which has RE ventures across Asia involving solar, wind, and battery energy storage systems. Mr. Taway also met with a Singapore-based RE firm earlier this month to finalize a proposed contract. Both sides are planning to sign the agreement in August. APECO manages a 496-hectare ecozone in Casiguran, Aurora, which is located about 357 kilometers northeast of Metro Manila. APECO is also pushing for the development of a seaport, airport, railway, and road network, positioning itself as an alternative transshipment hub on the Pacific coast for Asia-Pacific and North American markets. APECO has attracted P18 billion in investment pledges over the last three years, covering RE, tourism, cold storage, agri-processing, and skills training. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz