Power firm turns over heavy equipment to Villanueva

INDEPENDENT power producer Steag State Power Inc. (SPI) turned over two heavy equipment worth P11.4 million to the local government of Villanueva, Misamis Oriental on Monday, December 17.

SPI's communication relations manager Ma. Teresa Alegrio said the heavy equipment are expected to boost the capability of the local government unit in implementing infrastructure projects in the town.

The heavy equipment include a crawler excavator (Backhoe) and a vibratory soil compactor (road roller).

These new assets will help the town in their road concreting and other improvement projects, construction of the town's sanitary landfill and disaster preparedness and impact mitigation infrastructure like dikes and flood control system.

Alegrio said the town has utilized the proceeds of the electricity shares of SPI under the Energy Regulation (ER) 1-94 guidelines of the Department of Energy (DOE). The said guidelines provide for financial benefits to communities that are hosting power generation facilities.

"Naay provision sa balaod nga tanan power plants generating or distribution plant mag set aside og 1 centavo per kilowatt hour sa ilang sales to a community fund," Alegrio said.

"Since pagsugod og operate sa SPI sige nata og remit sa DOE for the share para sa atong mga host communities," she added.

Alegrio said under the new circular of DOE, the power generation company can directly give the electricity share for a community project to the host community.

"Before ga-remit mi sa DOE and from there mag-apply ang LGUs for a project unya i-download sa DOE pero naay bag-o nga circular nga diretso na from the power plant to the host community," Alegrio said.

To date, about P42 million worth of projects have been supported by the Steag ER 1-94 funds in Villanueva town.

These include the installation of the town's waterworks system, the electrification of six unenergized sitios of Villanueva, and the establishment of the Villanueva firebrick-making project.

Villanueva town officials have vowed to take good care of the said equipment.