Hedcor constructs new run-of-river hydro facility

Sunstar Baguio

ANOTHER facility to generate renewable energy is constructed by Hedcor, Inc. in Tuba, Benguet, the 3.8 Irisan Hydropower Project.

The project is expected to generate 11 million kilowatt-hours of clean and renewable energy annually by next year.

Being a run-of-river type of hydropower, Irisan 1 will utilize the natural flow and elevation drop of the Elew River to generate electricity, thus, has the least adverse effect to the environment.

Unlike traditional and large hydropower facilities, run-of-river projects do not require such an impoundment, which is why they are often referred to as clean sources of energy.

The country’s current energy mix shows the energy we consume comes from 67 percent non-renewable or fossil fuel and only 33 percent comes from renewable energy sources.

With the continuous increase in the prices of energy as well as the effects of these non-renewable energy sources to our environment, the Renewable Energy Law was passed as the government wants to encourage participation in investing in renewable energy.

Hedcor, a major player in developing run-of-river hydropower plants, broke ground to make way for the 3.8 megawatt Irisan 1 hydropower project last October 16 in Barangay Tadiangan, Tuba. Apart from the project’s environmental benefits, the host community will also benefit from the project through employment opportunities of more than 200, new farm to market roads, and shares to the local government.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of AboitizPower Corporation, Hedcor owns and operates 17 mini-hydropower plants in Benguet and Davao with a total installed capacity of 80.7 megawatts. It targets to build more run-of-river hydropower plants in Mindanao and Luzon with an additional capacity of 100 megawatts in the next four years.(Joey Matias)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on January 16, 2011.