Power firm to invest P112.5M in Basilan

Business Mirror
THURSDAY, 08 MARCH 2012 20:13 BONG GARCIA JR. / CORRESPONDENT


ZAMBOANGA CITY—Basilan Gov. Jum Akbar said the problem of blackouts in her province would soon be a thing of the past.


This developed as Akbar said the Coastalpower Development Corp. is pushing through its plan to invest P112.5 million in the electricity business in the province of Basilan.


Akbar said Coastalpower and the Basilan Electric Cooperative (Baselco) agreed to establish Basilan Island Power Inc. and to put up diesel and bunker power generators to supply the electricity needs of the province.


Akbar said the generators, which will supply between 9 megawatts (MW) and 14 MW, would be established within six months. Construction work would start any time this year.


“Sa oras na maging operational na ang planta ng Coastalpower, may sobrang electricity supply pa hanggang 5.2 MW pagdating ng Disyembre,” Akbar said.


At present, the power-supply needs of Basilan is being supplied by Baselco.


However, rotational blackout is being implemented in the province since Baselco’s total power distributed to the province is only 6.81 MW, below the estimated power demand of 8 MW.


Akbar said the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) is allocating P200 million to energize all of the barangays in Basilan. Of the total 255 barangays, only 84 percent or 215 barangays are energized.


This is only about 39 percent or 24,098 of the 61,456 total number of households.


Akbar said the P200-million funds will be allocated through OPAPP’s Pamana or Payapa at Masaganang Payamanan program.