|
By Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo, Reporter
STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and
Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) has moved the bidding for the
decommissioned Manila Thermal power plant to the last quarter of the
year.
In a statement, PSALM said it
decided to move the scheduled March 30 bidding for the Manila
Thermal Power Plant to make way for further reviews.
The agency tasked with selling
the government’s power sector assets said there was a need to
review the “structure of, and process for this type of asset” so
as “to ensure better success at disposing them.”
The Manila Thermal plant is the
first decommissioned power plant of the National Power Corp. (Napocor)
to be auctioned off.
In a related matter, Froilan A.
Tampinco, PSALM vice-president for asset management and electricity
trading, said the agency is also reviewing the valuation of the
Calaca power facility, which includes the attachment of a
substantial power supply allocation to the package.
“PSALM is now making the
necessary preparations for the conduct of the bidding exercises for
the Calaca plant,” he said.
The Calaca facility was first
offered to prospective investors in June 2005, but the auction was
canceled after two of the three qualified bidders backed out shortly
before the deadline for submission of offers.
“While this will be the third
round of bidding for the Calaca plant, we know that investors remain
keen on acquiring this particular asset. But they continue to be
apprehensive primarily due to the lack or insufficiency of power
supply allocations,” Tampinco said. “PSALM is now coordinating
with National Power to address this concern.”
The second round of bidding,
which was held in April 2006, was also declared a failure because
the proposals submitted by the two bidders were below the reserve
price.
|
