DMCI Holdings Inc. (DMCI) will begin to double the output of the 600 megawatt Calaca coal-fired power plant this year.

Nestor Davidas, director of DMCI, said the first phase, which is expected to be completed by 2014, calls for the construction of two 150 MW generating units. He said that the company plans to start with the first phase within the year.

"We hope to ground break this within the year," he said.

The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. sold the Calaca Plant to DMCI in negotiated sale in July of 2009.

DMCI won the Calaca plant with an offer of $361.709 million, edging out Thailand Corp. Banpu Power.

DMCIHI is the firm that consolidates all construction business, construction component companies, and related interests of the Consunji family. Its core businesses include construction, real estate, and coal mining.

DMCIHI owns 56 percent of Semirara Mining Corp. which has exclusive rights to explore, mine and develop the coal resources on Semirara Island in Caluya, Antique.

The Calaca facility has been allocated a substantial 287 MW power supply contract, or about 40 percent of the plant’s rated capacity.

This provides the new owner a ready market for the electricity that the power plant will generate. The Manila Electric Co. will assume the biggest portion of the contracted energy, which is equivalent to 169 MW.

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