Wärtsilä Signs 5yr Renewal of O&M for Masbate Gold Project
Technology group Wärtsilä has recently signed a five-year renewal of its Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Agreement with Phil. Gold Processing & Refining Corp for the Masbate Gold Project (MGP) power plant, situated on Masbate Island in the Philippines. Wärtsilä has been responsible for operating and maintaining the power plant since 2009, and the renewal order was officially booked by Wärtsilä in June 2023.
The Masbate Gold Project (MGP) is managed by Phil. Gold, a company fully owned by B2Gold Corp. B2Gold is an international senior gold producer based in Vancouver, Canada, known for its cost-effective operations. B2Gold owns several operating gold mines and is involved in various development and exploration projects across multiple countries, including Mali, the Philippines, Namibia, Canada, Colombia, Finland, and Uzbekistan.
The Masbate mine is located in a remote area approximately 360 km southeast of the Philippines’ capital, Manila, and lacks a connection to the national power grid. As a result, the power plant plays a critical role as the sole source of electricity, and its continued operational reliability is vital for maintaining the mine’s production schedules.
“Wärtsilä has extensive experience in providing power to mining operations around the world. The locations can be challenging, often with high ambient temperatures and limited water supplies for cooling purposes. Our engine technology is designed to deal with these conditions, and our maintenance agreements are built around serving the specific needs of each individual customer.
We have developed a strong relationship with PGPRC over the years, and we are delighted to continue this cooperation with this contract extension,” said Kari Punnonen Energy Business Director, at Wärtsilä.
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The power plant at the Masbate Gold Project (MGP), which was recently expanded, has a maximum output capacity of 47 MW. Wärtsilä is involved in the operation and maintenance (O&M) of a total of 104 MW of power generation capacity in the Philippines out of their overall presence of 1600 MW in the country.
