AboitizPower To Launch The Philippines' First Smart Power Plants

Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) is breaking new ground in the Philippine energy sector through a pioneering partnership with Thailand-based REPCO NEX Industrial Solutions (REPCO NEX).

Project Arkanghel represents a bold step forward in harnessing the power of technology to revolutionize energy production and management, ensuring a brighter and more sustainable future for the Philippines. 

This collaboration aims to introduce the country’s first smart power plants under the ambitious “Project Arkanghel.”

The ceremonial signing of Project Arkanghel took place in Bangkok, Thailand, marking a significant milestone for the Aboitiz Group. This venture underscores the group's commitment to innovation and transformation within the Philippine energy landscape and beyond.

Sandro Aboitiz, AboitizPower’s Chief Finance Officer, emphasized the evolving energy landscape in the Philippines and the need for dependable power sources to support rapid economic growth.

He highlighted the increasing importance of decentralized and digitalized energy systems.

“Our economy continues to grow at a rapid pace, requiring new sources of dependable and reliable power supply,” said Aboitiz.

“We also see the impact of the continuing decentralization and digitalization of the energy value chain, supported by enabling policies and technological advancement,” Aboitiz shared.

He further highlighted that, “As more distributed energy resources are added to the grid, and consumers become prosumers, the need for stable and reliable baseload supply becomes even more critical to ensure the security of our grid.”

Aldo Ramos, AboitizPower Thermal COO of Operated Assets, stressed the significance of this partnership in establishing the Philippines' first smart power plants.

He noted that Project Arkanghel will enhance the efficiency and resilience of their thermal power plants, ensuring a stable and reliable baseload supply while minimizing downtime.

“Project Arkanghel is pivotal in boosting our thermal power plants’ efficiency and resiliency. It will also help to ensure that our plants provide reliable baseload supply and lessen downtime,” Ramos added.

Project Arkanghel will focus on creating digital twins for AboitizPower’s circulating fluidized bed (CFB) coal-fired power plants: the 300-megawatt Therma South Plant in Davao City and the 340-megawatt Therma Visayas Plant in Toledo City, Cebu.

These digital twins will serve as initial models for future installations at other thermal sites.

A digital twin is a virtual replica of a power plant, mimicking its operational processes and systems. This innovative technology allows operators to simulate scenarios, stress-test systems, and detect faults in real-time within a virtual environment.

By leveraging data science and artificial intelligence (AI), these models enable more informed decisions, enhancing the overall efficiency and reliability of the power plants.

The implementation of digital twins will streamline data collection, facilitate asset health monitoring, and enable predictive maintenance. These insights are expected to reduce both planned and unplanned downtimes, ensuring a consistent and reliable power supply.

Project Arkanghel represents a bold step forward in harnessing technology to revolutionize energy production and management, ensuring a brighter and more sustainable future for the Philippines.