IFUGAO province is set to benefit from the 8.5-megawatt hydroelectric power plant of SN Aboitiz Power-Magat Inc. (Snap-Magat) in Ramon, Isabela.
The power plant was constructed by the joint venture of Aboitiz Power Inc. and Norway's SN Power AS mainly to address the irrigation needs of the farmers of Ifugao and Isabela, which is host to the plant.
From the 380-MW Magat hydro plant, water will be poured downstream to the Maris power plant, preventing flooding in case the Magat dam overflows. The new facility will also serve as irrigation water reservoir on dry season.
Operation of the hydro power plant will benefit five municipalities of Anfonso Lista, Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Lagawe and Lamut, in Ifugao including host town Ramon and Cordon in Isabela, Diadi and Bagabag in Nueva Vizcaya.
Engineer Romualdo Canadido, former NIA-Maris operations manager said the project was proposed by Snap Magat engineers, who were encouraged by the company to come up with innovative projects to further enhance the operation of the power plant and further benefit the local communities.
The proposal was presented to the company in 2013 and was approved and kicked off in 2016.
Canadido noted the new project will also be beneficial to the Luzon grid, as the additional 8.5 megawatts of power is brought directly to the grid. This is aside from the employment, flood control, and irrigation systems, he said.
Snap-Magat AVP and Plant Manager Willy Ferrer added the discharge water
from Magat powerplant will be utilized for power and the remaining water use for power in Maris will be used for irrigation purposes directly for farmers.
"The service area of National Irrigation Administration which is Magat River Integrated Irrigation System covers about 85,000 hectares part of Ifugao and partly Isabela," Ferrer said.
Ferrer added through innovative programs, they were able to come up with different entries and technologies in order to improve operations and increase the maximum level of Maris dam.
It took two years to build the US$47-million run-of-river hydro plant in Barangay Ambatali in Ramon town.