Energy & Mining

Global oil prices surged sharply, with Brent Crude for May delivery breaching USD100 per barrel for the first time in nearly four years as Iran threatened to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed amid escalating tensions with the US and Israel.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Thursday said electricity prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) could rise by P2 to P4 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) next month, based on simulations by the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP).

Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. (Prime Infra) has secured P273.47 billion in financing for the development of 2,000 megawatts (MW) of pumped storage hydropower projects, strengthening its role in large-scale energy infrastructure.

Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East may unintentionally accelerate Southeast Asia’s shift toward renewable energy, as governments confront the economic risks of heavy dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Aboitiz Power Corp. said its renewable energy subsidiary has secured a P6.1 billion project finance facility from Bank of the Philippine Islands, the country’s 4th largest lender by assets, to fund the construction of a new wind power project in southern Luzon.