THE Department of Energy (DOE) awarded 37 proponents of 85 hydropower plant projects in Mindanao with service contracts as of July 2014.
"When we say they have been awarded it means that they have been issued with a service contract by DOE and these companies are in their pre-development stage," said Engr. Rolando J. Fara-on, DOE Mindanao senior science research specialist.
He said the pre-development stage is when the company complies with the needed documents, certificates, endorsements, and the conduct of feasibility studies.
Based on the data provided by the DOE Mindanao Field, the proponents include power firms, electric cooperatives, and local government units (LGUs).
Electric cooperatives and LGUs who are project proponents are the LGUs of Impasugong and Malita, South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative Inc., First Bukidnon Electric Cooperative Inc., Bukidnon II Electric Cooperative Inc, Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative Inc., LGU of Malita, Misamis Occidental 1 Electric Cooperative, and Misamis Occidental II Electric Cooperative.
Power firms who are project proponents are Phil Carbon Inc., Meadowland Developers Inc., Euro Hydro Power (Asia) Holdings, Inc., Epower Technologies Corp., Repower Energy Development Corporation, Epower Technologies Corp., First Gen (FGen) Mindanao Hydro Power Corp., FGen Bubunawan Hydro Corporation, FGen Tagoloan Hydro Corporation, United Holdings Power Corporation (UHPC), Sta. Clara Power Corporation, Philnewriver Power Corp, Oriental Energy and Power Generation Corp., Hedcor Bukidnon Inc., Matic Hydropower Corporation, UHPC Bukidnon Hydro Power I Corporation, PhilNew Hydro Power Corporation, Turbines Resources & Development Corporation, Mindanao Energy Systems, JE Hydropower Ventures, Hedcor Tamugan Inc., LGS Renewable Energies Corporation, Global Sibagat Hydro Power Corporation, San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders & Developers Group Inc., Universal Hydrotechnologies Inc., Alsons Energy Development Corporation, Equi-Parco Construction Co., FGen Puyo Hydro Corporation, Asiga Green Energy Corp., and Hydro Link Projects Corporation
All the 85 projects of the 37 proponents have a combined potential capacity of 835.6 megawatts (MW).
Fara-on said most of the hydro power projects are run-of-river projects and are mini-hydro power plants. Data also showed that nearly 80 percent of the projects only have a potential capacity of less than 10 MW
Euro Hydro Power (Asia) Holdings, Inc. has the most number of projects at 17 but only has a potential capacity of 35.45 MW since all of its projects are producing only less than 10MW. Its projects can be found in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Though San Lorenzo Ruiz Builders & Developers Group Inc. has only one project, it has the highest potential capacity with its proposed 140 MW hydropower plant in Davao City.
Two other companies also have more than 100 MW of potential capacity, they are: Philnewriver Power Corporation who has six projects with a combined potential capacity of 137.5 MW and Global Sibagat Hydro Power Corporation who also has six projects with a combined potential capacity of 100 MW.