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Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. (Prime Infra) started construction of its 140-megawatt solar power plants in Tanauan, Batangas and Marogondon, Cavite with target to start commercial operations by yearend.

Prime Infra, through its unit Solar Tanauan Corporation, held the groundbreaking ceremony for the renewable energy project on April 11, Tuesday, together with representatives from the provincial governments of Batangas and Cavite and project partner PowerChina B7 Philippines Corp. (PowerChina).

Leading the ceremonial event were Prime Infra President and CEO Guillaume Lucci, Solar Tanauan Corporation Chair Katrina Razon and Director Donato Almeda, Calabarzon Regional Development Council Chair Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla, Marogondon Mayor Lawrence “Umbe” Arca, Embassy of People’s Republic of China in the Philippines Minister Counsellor Yang Guoliang, and Chief Representative of PowerChina to the Philippines Zhao Zhihao.

“Our project here at Solar Tanauan Corporation embodies the values that we, as a company, and I personally align with. We have a strong ESG commitment and sustainability focus and as such, our goal is to develop and operate our assets in a socially relevant manner,” said Razon.

“We are here to celebrate the future of renewable energy and the impact we can have on our environment not just in the Philippines but in the world. It is a reminder of the importance of collaborating together towards a common goal, a shared vision and how collective efforts can make a transformative difference. I hope that this event will inspire many to take action towards a regenerative future,” she added.

Governors Mandanas and Remulla cited the partnership with the Razon Group in building a more sustainable future for their provinces and the region.

“We are preparing for a future-proof province here in Cavite and together, we will grow; together, we will prosper,” said Remulla.

“We are very grateful that we have the confidence of the private sector, Prime Infra and Solar Tanauan. Tanauan is one of our most progressive cities where we have a lot of industrial estates and fortunately now, we are going to have renewable energy coming from the group of Prime Infra,” said Mandanas.

Yang, for his part, highlighted the cooperation of China and the Philippines in four key areas, which includes energy.

“The Philippines has sufficient sunlight and great potential for solar energy development. The development of photovoltaic projects not only alleviate the shortage of electricity consumption, optimize the energy structure, but also promote the employment of residents and improve people’s livelihood and well-being,” said Yang.

Also present during the event were Prime Infra and Solar Tanauan Chief Financial Officer Jesus Bernardo Palma III, Prime Infra Chief Regulatory Officer Vince Dizon, Prime Infra Market Sector Lead for Power and Solar Tanauan President Janssen Dela Cruz, Atty. Cristine Collantes representing Tanauan Mayor Sonny Collantes, Tanauan Vice Mayor Atty. Herminigildo Trinidad Jr., Maragondon Vice Mayor Bernie Ilagan, and Hu Xinquan, Chairman of Chinese Enterprises Philippine Association and Country Head for Bank of China Manila Branch.

The Tanauan and Maragondon solar power plants will have an installed gross capacity of up to 140 megawatts (MW). Total annual generation capacity is estimated at 202 gigawatt hours, which is expected to power over 84,000 households and displace over 100,000 tons of coal per year.

Prime Infra is committed to address sustainability priorities in three key sectors—water, waste management and sustainable fuels, and sustainable energy. The Prime Infra Group has a pipeline of renewable energy projects in different stages of development with a total gross installed capacity of approximately 5,700 MW of solar generation plus 4,000MWh (minimum) energy storage system.

“Prime Infra continues to address the need for dependable power supply as it aggressively supports the transition to clean energy and a low-carbon economy through our portfolio of renewable energy projects,” Lucci said. “We thank our government partners for making our vision possible. Through close collaboration, we will be able to deliver a project that will benefit generations to come.”