NEGROS Occidental Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko said Thursday, March 9, that the 150-megawatts solar farm project located at the boundaries of Barangay Tabunan, Bago City and Barangay Felisa, Bacolod City was already approved and endorsed by the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The project proponent is Negros Solar PH.
Ko also said that the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City has also gave the endorsement to the project, but the barangay council of Felisa did not endorse the project.
The solar power farm project is for the energy security of the country, Ko added.
He said that the SP has approved the endorsement on February this year but the company is very careful that they are still waiting for some pertinent documents before commencing the construction and installation of its solar panels.
Aside from these documents, Ko said that Negros Solar PH is also waiting for the go signal from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) that will distribute the power supply through their grid.
Guian Carlo Mascardo, Negros PH Solar Inc. president, in his letter to Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, said they had been awarded a service contract in 2015 and were able to convert it to a development contract in 2019.
The project that has leased 113.7 hectares in Bry. Felisa, Bacolod City, and Brgy. Tabunan, Bago City, secured an Environmental Compliance Certificate with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on January 2.
The total lot area to be used for the project in Barangay Felisa is 95.7879 hectares and in Barangay Tabunan – 17.9158 hectares, Mascardo said.*