FIRST Gen Corp. has started the construction of the 54-megawatt (MW) Inara solar power plant in Tanauan City, Batangas.
“Through this project, we aim to expand renewable energy in a way that continues to create opportunities for both communities and industries,” First Gen President and COO Francis Giles Puno said during a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday.
The project will cost P2.1 billion and is scheduled for completion by the summer of 2027.
It will be built on a 36-hectare property, which includes space designated for an expansion to 100 MW and the integration of a battery energy storage system.
First Gen said it also planned to incorporate agrivoltaics — the growing of crops within a solar facility — into Inara’s project design.
“Energy production does not have to displace agriculture. The two can work together, allowing the same land to support both food production and clean energy,” Puno said.
First Gen’s share price rose by 58 centavos to close at P18.20 each on Wednesday.