Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Energy Sec lauds new Hedcor hydro plants for power boost


Department of Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla lauded Hedcor for its newest Tudaya 1&2 hydropower plants contributing 13.6MW of clean and renewable to the Mindanao Grid.

“Availability is important when it comes to power. Sure that the 13MW cannot solve the power crisis in Mindanao but it provides a long term benefit to the grid. It is the dependability not the size that matters,” the Secretary said during the inauguration on May 13 in Sta Cruz, Davao del Sur.

Speaking in the event, Mayor Joel Ray Lopez professed, “Hedcor’s entry is the best thing that happened to us.”

Concurring with the launching is the issuance of a Notice to Proceed for the Darong-Sibulan electrification project as one of the benefits of the host community. Also, the town is anticipating a road opening that will serve as a farm to market road for the residents in the area.

The two hydropower plants mark Hedcor’s 20th and 21st plant augmenting its total capacity to 170MW from its hydropower plants in Benguet, Ilocos Sur, Davao City and Davao del Sur.

Hedcor’s President and COO Rene Ronquillo highlighted the participation of the community in the making of the hydropower plants. “Beginning the construction up to now that the facility is running we have the solid support from the community.”

Representing the Indigenous People community, Datu Ronaldo Manapol of the Bagobo Tagabawa tribe expressed his gratitude for the development not just to the advancement of the IP community but also the entire locality.

The Tudaya 1 and Tudaya 2 hydropower plant resides at Barangay Sibulan and Barangay Astorga in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. The construction of the hydropower facility started in the last quarter of 2012 with a total investment of 2.5 billion pesos.

The hydro facilities will be supplying two distribution utilities which are Davao Light and Power Company and Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative.  Since it began operating last March, the hydropower plant generated about seven million kilowatt hours at the peak of summer season.

As host to the power plants, Davao del Sur will benefit from the taxes, royalties and shares from the hydropower plant. Aside from these, Hedcor conducts corporate social responsibility programs to the locality catering to the educational, health, livelihood and environmental needs of the host.

As the leading force in run-of-river hydropower development in the country, Hedcor proactively seeks better solutions towards a better future. With its vision of generating 2billion kWhs of Cleanergy by 2020, Hedcor develops and operates efficient hydropower systems. Hedcor is a subsidiary of AboitizPower.


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