P10 billion 60 megawatt hydro project to rise in Benguet town

By Joseph Zambrano    

KAPANGAN, Benguet -- A 60 megawatt run-off-river hydroelectric power project  will  soon be constructed in this sleepy town as another source of clean energy.

A project  of the Cordillera Hydroelectric Power Corp (COHECO), the hydro plant  will be located in Barangays Cuba, Beleng-Belis and Balacbac here and Barangay Badeo in nearby Kibungan town.

Lawyer JingboyAtonen, chief executive officer of  COHECO,  said  the project  will have capacity of 60 MW and  average gross production of  302 gigawatt-hour of electricity per year or around 299 GWH of net electricity production per year.

The P10 billion worth project is seen not only to provide electricity to meet the local power demands, but also to contribute the economic growth of the areas, Atonen said.

This will create jobs also for the host municipalities, they are the priority to work in our company, he added.

 Atonen said they have complied all the necessary permits including the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples requirements for the issuance of certification pre-condition and the prior consent of ancestral domain communities.

Groundbreaking for the project is expected very soon.