Hedcor, Aboitiz hydro to boost Luzon power grid

By Andrew Doga-ong

SABANGAN, Mountain Province – The Luzon grid will be boosted with power from the recently inaugurated 14 MW hydropower plant here.

Hedcor and the Aboitiz Power Corp. ere cited by Sabangan mayor Donato Danglose and Mountain Province Gov. Leonard Mayaen for investing in the province with the hydropower plant.

Danglose said the hydropower project is what Sabangan really needs noting rich water resources within the municipality.

With the project, Hedcor, he said will pour more development programs to improve his poor municipality.

Danglose thanked  provincial and local  government officials and residents  particularly of the two hosts barangays  for their support to  the project despite various issues and opposition.

Mayaen, said  construction and operation of the Hedcor – Sabangan Hydropower Plant will bring benefit to the people of  the province particularly local residents of the host municipality and barangays.

He cited financial and employment assistance and other benefits the project will bring through the firm’s corporate social responsibility(CSR) programs.

“This is the beginning for us people of Mountain Province to reap what we have and indeed we are entitled to it”, said the governor.

The 14MW Sabangan Hydropower Plant built along Chico River within barangays Napua and Namatec, is the first Hedcor hydropower project in  the province.

The plant  which makes use of a run-off-river scheme is expected to contribute 55 gigawatts of clean and renewable energy annually to the Luzon Grid.

Hedcor is set to remit about P16 million worth of annual shares, taxes and royalties to the two host barangays,

Sabangan local government unit,  the provincial government  and the indigenous people community aside from the firm’s CSR programs focusing on enhancing education, enterprise development and environment.

In his message, Hedcor president and chief operating officer Rene Ronquillo  said with the Sabangan  project as show window, he hopes other municipalities in  the province  will be convinced to allow their water resources  to be  developed for hydropower to generate more clean and renewable energy.

Also gracing the event were  Aboitiz Power Corp. president and COO Antonio Moraza, presidential sister Pinky Aquino-Abellada and husband ManoloAbellada and lawyer Marissa Cerezo of Department of Energy.