Ilocos Norte welcomes 2nd Vestas wind farm in Burgos / Philippines

The Energy Development Corp., the country’s largest geothermal producer, will build the $300 million, 87-megawatt Burgos Wind Project (BWP) which covers around 600 hectares of land across three villages in Burgos, namely, Saoit, Poblacion and Nagsurot.

The EDC-operated wind farm is the second wind energy facility that will be put up in Ilocos Norte next to the Northwind power plant that was erected in Bangui town in 2005. The Burgos wind farm is said to be bigger than the Bangui wind turbines.

A first in Southeast Asia, the Bangui windmills have since become one of the main sources of electricity in the province. It is also one the province’s tourist attractions which continue to contribute to the province’s tourism industry.

The EDC has tapped Vestas Wind Systems of Denmark to construct the wind turbines. Vestas Wind Systems is said to be the world’s biggest wind turbine manufacturer.

EDC officials target to fully operationalize the wind farm by 2014.

More than 230 gigawatt-hours of electricity a year is expected to be generated from the wind farm, enough to supply a million households according to a report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

In a letter, Ivy Henson, EDC public relations officer, said the ground breaking ceremony, “Marks a significant event not for EDC but also for the province of Ilocos Norte and the Philippine energy sector.”

She said that the project will generate jobs, boost economic activity in the province and contribute to the national effort to develop clean and green energy resources and, in the process, reduce dependence on imported oil.

The ground breaking for the Burgos wind farm will start at 8 a.m. in Palpalokada Site in Burgos. Expected to grace the event will be Department of Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje, and local government officials.