Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Capitol approves assessment of hydro project in Bago By Erwin Ambo Delilan
GOVERNOR Isidro Zayco has inked a pact with Alto Power Management Corp. on the conduct of a preliminary study on a proposed hydroelectric power plant project along the Upper Bago River in southern Negros.
Zayco represented the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, while chief executive officer Tirso Santillan Jr. represented Alto.
The feasibility study aims to determine the project's capacity, cost, construction period, and tariff proposal.
As per the memorandum of understanding (MOU), the province acknowledges that the study, if positive and later confirmed by more detailed studies, could lead to the building and operation of a hydropower facility, which will have a component dam project that would complement the province's irrigation highway project.
The study will last for 180 days from the date of the MOU, which will have a free and unencumbered access to and from the proposed dam and hydroelectric plant sites in the province.
It must also have free and unencumbered access to all of the province's available economic, market and technical studies related to irrigation highway and must have a total and complete support and cooperation from the province's infrastructure development group.
In the conduct of the study, Alto shall at all times, recognize, respect and observe due regard and consideration for the welfare, rights and interests of communities and the environment, ensuring the least or minimal adverse effects upon them, and undertaking the necessary and appropriate mitigating measures.
The proposed hydropower plant in Bago City aims to augment the soon-to-be implemented 30-megawatt geothermal exploration by the Philippine National Oil Company-Energy Development Corporation (PNOC-EDC) inside Mt. Kanlaon's buffer zone.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Calatrava, Toboso and San Carlos areas already established three mini-hydropower plants.
Three more are being eyed, one at the Mambukal Resort in Murcia town, using its first falls and boating lagoon as main sources.
