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Several large scale wind power projects are to be built in the Philippines following the signing of a joint-venture agreement on June 9 by US company New World Power Corporation and the Philippines Rural Co-operatives Association Inc (PHILRECA). The joint venture wind plants will supply grid power to rural co-operatives in the Luzon region.

According to New World, the agreement also contemplates the installation of the company's village power systems for Philippine island co-operatives not on the grid. PHILRECA controls about 500 MW of utility transmission and distribution capacity in the Philippines. Traditionally it buys power from the National Power Corporation (NPC), the state utility, at $0.07-0.14/kWh.

"The agreement with New World represents an historic departure from PHILRECA's reliance on NPC for its electricity and a movement toward self generation," says New World, of Lime Rock, Connecticut. The company makes and sells electricity from renewable energy sources including wind, sun and water.