Philippines’ BEC signs renewable energy partnership deal with Thailand’s VTE

Basic Energy Corporation (BEC), a Philippine-listed power firm, has signed a strategic partnership with Thailand’s Vintage Engineering Public Company Ltd (VTE) that involves the exploration, development, and production of renewable energy resources in the Philippines and abroad.

VTE bought over 435 million shares of stock in BEC, a transaction subject to compliance of the conditions precedent, representations and warranties and covenants included in the agreement.Financial terms of the share transaction were not disclosed.

“VTE has the right to invest in the Mabini Geothermal Project and other projects of BEC, and VTE may increase its holdings of BEC shares in the future, both subject to terms and conditions which shall be mutually agreed upon by the parties in the future,” BEC said in its statement. Originally in the construction and engineering business, VTE is now developing some energy projects in Japan, Myanmar, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

BEC has five service contracts in its portfolio awarded by the Philippines’ Department of Energy (DOE) for the exploration and development of geothermal energy in the provinces of Batangas, Bataan, East Mankayan, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Camarines Sur, Albay, and West Bulusan in Sorsogon.

As a holding company, BEC held equity investments in its subsidiaries, namely investment holding company Basic Diversified Industrial Holdings Inc, IT management company and service integrator iBasicInc, biofuels developer Basic Biofuels Corp, agricultural company Basic Ecomarket Farms Inc, oil exploration firm Southwest Resources Inc, and geothermal energy development company Basic Geothermal Energy Corp.