ACEN Completes NorthWind Wind Farm Refurbishment, Extending Operations by Up to 10 Years
Key Takeaways
- •ACEN completed mechanical and electrical upgrades to all 20 turbines at its NorthWind wind farm in Ilocos Norte, extending the facility's operational life by up to 10 years.
- •The refurbished wind farm is projected to generate an additional 768 gigawatt-hours of electricity over the next decade while avoiding approximately 592,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
- •ACEN is providing up to P1 billion to its subsidiary Giga Ace 6, Inc. to support development of the 344.5-MW Quezon North Wind Power Project.
- •The Quezon North initiative represents the first phase of a larger wind development targeted for completion by 2027, with a second 208-MW phase also under development.
- •ACEN, the Ayala group's listed energy platform, holds approximately 7 gigawatts of attributable renewable energy capacity across operational, under-construction, and committed projects.
Renewable energy producer ACEN Corp. announced the completion of a maintenance and refurbishment program for its 52-megawatt (MW) NorthWind wind farm in Ilocos Norte, extending the facility's operational life by up to 10 years.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the company said the two-phase initiative covered all 20 wind turbines at NorthWind, which has been in operation for more than 17 years. The mechanical and electrical upgrades were designed to enhance the wind farm's efficiency, reliability, and long-term performance, underscoring how operators are increasingly focused not only on adding new capacity but also on keeping existing renewable assets productive for longer.
The refurbished facility is projected to generate an additional 768 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity over the next decade while avoiding approximately 592,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. ACEN noted that the refurbishment also eliminated the need for premature decommissioning by minimizing waste associated with dismantling and disposing of turbine components and by maximizing the use of existing grid-connected infrastructure.
"Building renewable energy assets is only part of the equation. Equally important is ensuring they continue operating safely, efficiently, and reliably throughout their lifecycle," said Miguel de Jesus, ACEN's Chief Operating Officer for Philippine Operations.
ACEN, the listed energy platform of the Ayala group, holds approximately 7 gigawatts (GW) of attributable renewable energy capacity spanning operational, under-construction, and committed projects.
In a separate disclosure to the stock exchange, ACEN said it is providing up to P1 billion to its wholly owned subsidiary Giga Ace 6, Inc. to support the development of the 344.5-MW Quezon North Wind Power Project. The company entered into a short-term loan agreement with Giga Ace 6, which serves as the project company for the wind development.
The 344.5-MW initiative represents the first phase of a larger wind development targeted for completion by 2027. A second phase with a planned capacity of 208 MW is also under development. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera
