Geothermal energy: Tongonan, Leyte
For years, I’d only hear talks on how beautiful it is in Tongonan, Leyte – how cool the place is, elevated thousands of feet above sea level, with lots of virginal forests and wildlife – but never getting the chance to actually go and see the place. I’ve spotted that directional sign saying, “To Tongonan” hundreds of times when driving from Tacloban City to Ormoc City. Never been there… until last September. Some friends, Danny Fuentebella and Butch Celestial, asked me: would I be interested in joining their group and “camp out” in Tongonan? Gee, how could I resist such an opportunity?!
Nestled high up in the mountains in Tongonan between the municipality of Kananga and Ormoc City is the PNOC-Energy Development Corporation’s Leyte Geothermal Production Field (LGPF).
PNOC-EDC remains to be the country’s largest producer of geothermal energy. The 107,625-hectare Leyte Geothermal Production Field (LGPF) alone produces 708 MW. Here in this geothermal energy area, considered the largest wet steam producing field in the world, are the 112.5 MW Tongonan Production Field, the 132 MW Upper Mahiao Power Plant, the 232.5 MW Malitbog Power Plant, the 180 MW Mahanagdong A and B Plants, and the 51 MW Optimization Plants.
The Leyte geothermal plants currently supply power not only to the Eastern Visayas region, but also to Central and Western Visayas and on to Luzon via submarine cables. It is expected to serve as the linchpin of the national electric highway upon installation of another submarine cable from Leyte to Mindanao.
Due to bad weather, it was unfortunate that I couldn’t get closer photos of the plants (besides, in most areas near the power plants, taking photos is strictly prohibited for security reasons.) So what I have here are mostly panoramic shots, taken before a heavy downpour and thunderstorm suddenly set in.
The view from the Administration Building of the PNOC-EDC of the Leyte Geothermal Production Field in Tongonan, Leyte.
ang ganda naman ng view ng tongonan, leyte!
Very nice…
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i’ve been there, way back during my university days when it was just starting. what progress! tnxs again, mr. ruiz!
oh, this is really a nice place… the only thing i can say is a part of it is like baguio! i’ve been there for an educational field trip and it was really fun!
good day..
can anybody tell me the complete name of the plant manager of Tongonan and his complete office address?
thanks very much..
Julius, sorry can’t help you on this. Maybe a reader who knows could… You have tried communicating thru their official website, I assume.
Update April 04′ 2008: Please see my latest post at the bottom of this thread for the contact details. – gerry
hi….I am a student here in Metro Manila College, but my native town is Leyte….MASKANLEY…I miss Leyte so much…Hi to my classmates batch 2001 in KNHS…By the way I’m Eds Solano…
hi! We wish to visit the Tongonan Geothemal Power Plant? can I ask for their e-mail address?
thanks
Sorry, Angie, but I don’t have their email ad. Try searching their website
Update April 04′ 2008: Please see my latest post at the bottom of this thread for the contact details. – gerry
wow… i wish to visit ur place… so nice… i’m from davao, i’ve heard a lot of things and seen beautiful places in leyte through the net…
I’m awed with the green background in Tongonan. It looks so fresh. I’m from Isabel, Leyte just near Ormoc but I’ve never been to Tongonan. My siblings have been there… are you from Leyte, too?
Hi, Tin. Yes, I was born and raised and now happily resettled back in Tacloban (moved around for awhile). Indeed Leyte and Samar have so much yet unexplored sites (for me, i.e.) to visit and I intend to go and see them for myself in the next few months or so.
Hi! I’m Lillian of SLSU-Tomas Oppus, Southern Leyte. Some of our faculty and staff would like to visit Tongonan and we find it hard to look for any contact number of the Geothermal field office so we could send our communication. We’ll be glad if you could give us telephone numbers or e-mail add. Thanks.
Hi Lilian, and also those who earlier requested for info on how to reach PNOC Tongonan. Finally, I was able to get this. Pls address your official communication to:
The PNOC Resident Manager
Engr. Manuel Paete
PNOC EDC
Leyte Geothermal Fields
Tongonan, Leyte
(053) 553 0018/0019 local 1001
email: paete.mc@energy.com.ph
ang ganda tlaga ng geothermal power plant sa tongonan lalong lalo na and klima parand little baguio. Last april nkpgbakasyon at ngsite visit dyan sa planta. Sana magkaron ng fieldtrip and electrical engineering department sa pup-manila thanks and more power.
[...] Washington Post features RP’s geo energy Ormoc Geothermal Plant [Gerry Ruiz] [...]
Good News Pilipinas » Washington Post features RP’s geo energy said this on 10 October 2008 at 12:21 am |
Gerry, I’m reprinting the Washington Post article about the Leyte geothermal plant, and I’d like to request permission to use one of your photos of the Tongonan field to complement the article. Thank you. Ave Basa, editor & publisher, Fil-Am Press, Houston, Texas.
Hi Gerry,
Good information about the Geothermal plant. I have visited PNOC Geothermal Plant earlier this year. Very interesting place. Cheers Wendy,Brisbane, Australia.
hi to all!
nakapunta na po ako sa tongonan sa admin, maganda po talaga ang scenery doon sa geothermal plant site, akala ko po sa ibang bansa lang po ang merong ganito…
I was the EEI QC supervisor for the 112.5 MW Tongonan Project from January 1981 to March 1983 after which was transferred to the Philphos project in Isabel. It was a very pleasant stay & a good learning experience for a young engineer like me, Those years were ones of the happiest in my life. We were in the Philippines last August 2008 & were planning a swing but wasn’t able to due to time constraint, would’ve loved to show the wife & the kids where I spent my early professional years, but maybe 2010. I want to know if it is possibe to go straight to Bohol from Leyte. Thank you & thanks for the happy memories!
Thanks for the web visit Nick, I can perfectly understand how you miss the place!
Yes, one can go straight to Bohol from Leyte and vice versa via ferry at Bato, Leyte and Ubay, Bohol.
In fact it seemed surreal when I first saw big buses in Ubay, Bohol with destination signs such as Pasay & Cubao!
hi! mga taga kananga kumusta na mong tana diha miz kona ang kananga the greatest place ever napakaganda ng tanawin mawala jud ang imo prblema miz u all
hello guys out there… i really miss the tour we had in this place,,,,