April 2005 : Kick-off-meeting of a new project in the Philippines within the framework of the EC-ASEAN Energy Facility Programme

CENTRIC AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL was selected as partner to >b>Cagayan Electric Power and Light Co (CEPALCO) in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, the Energy Economy Environment Consultants, situated in Bangkok Thailand, and IT Power Limited from the United Kingdom to implement the project Feasibility study for distributed generation (DG) and renewable energy portfolio (REP) of a distribution utility: case study in the Philippines, partial grant funded by the EC ASEAN Energy Facility Programme of the European Commission.

On May 02 to 03, 2005 the official kick-off meeting of the project was held at the premises of CEPALCO in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. The meeting was attended by Mr. Gerhard Weihs, the managing director of CENTRIC AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL.

The objective of the Action is to map out a distributed generation and renewable energy strategy for a distribution utility under a restructuring power sector. The target groups of the Action are the distribution utilities in ASEAN starting with the distribution utilities (including electric cooperatives) in the Philippines, where a case study on CEPALCO, itself one of the main distribution utilities in the Philippines, will be undertaken for the Action. The activities of the Action are grouped into four phases. Phases 1 and 4 comprise the project inception and regional dissemination, respectively. Phases 2 and 3 comprise the core activities. Phase 2 activities include national and regional background studies and surveys on renewable energy potential, progress of power sector restructuring in the ASEAN, distributed generation, and European experiences on the above-mentioned themes to set the stage for the case study. Phase 3 undertakes the feasibility studies of the renewable energy and distributed generation options of a distribution utility in the Philippines, in this case CEPALCO.

The action will last 18 months until 2007. CENTRIC AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL will be responsible mainly for the aspects of the environmental assessment of the identified projects.