Power to the Island
On the Philippine island of Mindanao stands one of Evonik's most advanced power plants. This is the company's third plant outside Germany, after the Colombia and Turkey plants. It provides reliable, efficient, and environmentally friendly coal-fired power generation.
Not just a drop in the ocean
The power generated by the Evonik
Industries plant covers about 15 percent of the electricity needs of
the island (with a population of around 14 million)—a not inconsiderable proportion. The plant has
tremendous importance for the development of the region, because the island's power requirements
are increasing rapidly with the growth of the population and the economy.
Until now, electricity was generated on the island mainly in hydroelectric plants. In view of
rising power requirements, the government decided to provide additional capacity for coal-fired
power generation—and opted for an advanced power plant from Evonik.
Consideration and responsibility
Reliable environmental protection measures ensure the plant’s compliance with the regulatory
standards defined by the Philippine environmental authorities and the stringent limits set by the
World Bank. Evonik is investing in Mindanao, and not only in reliable power generation: It also
sponsors ambitious social and environmental programs, from housing construction to vocational
training, and from agricultural cooperatives to reforestation.
In addition, during the construction phase of about three years, as many as 3,000 workers
were employed in peak periods, the majority of whom came directly from the region. There was good
reason for this. In keeping with the concept of sustainable development, this power plant project
was intended to promote local business and the regional labor market. On top of that, another 180
jobs for technicians, engineers, and administrative staff were also created at the power plant.
Expertise through close partnership
Another special feature is that all the components of the power plant are from foreign suppliers. In this way Evonik gained valuable experience in global sourcing, the worldwide procurement of components and services. Know-how of this kind is extremely valuable for a technology leader such as Evonik.
