Binga Dam set to boost Luzon grid

By Redjie Cawis

ITOGON, Benguet-- The 50-year-old Binga Dam in  Tingongdan , this town  is now fully rehabilitated and is ready to serve the province of Benuet and strengthen the power of the Luzon grid.

On Thursday, the SN Aboitiz Power – Benguet inaugurated the newly refurbished Binga Hydro Electric Power Plant   attended by SN-Abiotiz officials from Norway and the Philippines together with partners from the provincial government of Benguet led by Gov. Nestor Fongwan, and the municipality of Itogon led by Mayor Victoriano Palangdan with stakeholders, indigenous peoples and the private sector..

SNAP president Emmanuel Rubio said the operation of the Binga Dam was start of another 50 more years  of   contributing renewable energy to the Luzon grid. “This is step forward towards achieving the vision of the largest renewable energy provider in the country and today is a dream that started five years ago.”

According to Mike Hosillos,SNAP vice president for corporate communications, Binga hydroelectric plant is now operating at 125 megawatts (MW) to a maximum of 132 MW from its original capacity of 100MW in 2008 when the facility together with Ambuklao Dam was taken over for privatization by the company.

Hosillos said since the start of the renovation of the power facility in 2010, the SNAP has replaced and repaired most of the major parts of the dam.

The required massive upgrades to be able to operate and increase capacity included a new intake at higher elevation, new headrace, replacement and modernization of plant control system and replacement of electro-mechanical components.

SNAP acquired its Certificate of Compliance (COC) from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) early October marking the 25-megawatt increase of renewable energy supplied to the Luzon grid.

Binga is the second plant that SNAP-Benguet has rehabilitated to achieve modern, state-of-the-art level under its thrust of operational excellence.

The Ambuklao Hydroelectric Power Plant was inaugurated in 2011 and since then has been operating and contributing 105 MW to the Luzon grid.

The increase in capacity translates to a higher generation of power for Luzon as well as trading in the open energy market.

Benguet is a source of renewable energy because of the presence of abundant water supply that helps in the production of clean energy to address the increasing demand for power as a result of rapid urbanization in various investment areas nationwide.

Meanwhile, Fongwan conveyed his gratitude to the SNAP for the development and rehabilitation of the Binga Dam which he said is a great help   for the development of the municipality of Itogon and the province of Benguett hrough  its shares from the taxes and revenues  as well as  corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of the SNAP.

Hosillos said that besides the provision of the renewable, reliable, and sustainable energy, the local government units would also benefit from the different added revenue and the taxes by the operation of the dams in the province.

Rubio said that the  company will l not only conduct CSR activities for the benefit of the community but make the community partners in development.

Ifugao Gov. Dennis Habawel, who was a guest during the inauguration, said that he  learned a lot from the operations of the SNAP and the dams in Benguet  and  he hopes to impart in the operation of the Magat Dam which is being hosted by Ifugao under the SN Aboitiz Power .

The inauguration program was also highlighted by indigenous rituals by the Ibaloi community in Binga to ask the gods for blessing and follow the cultural practices of the host community.