Firm Expanding Its Hydro Portfolio

Manila Bulletin

By Myrna M. Velasco

January 31, 2013, 5:59pm

Local firm Sta Clara Power Corporation is on expansion mode, with its latest 8.0 megawatt mini-hydropower venture via a tie-up with Union Energy of businessman Lucio Co.

The project developers, in a press statement, bared that they will be spending P1.9 billion for the proposed Catuiran hydropower facility’s construction in off-grid Mindoro. It is targeted on stream in 2016.

Effectively, it will be an addition to the company’s hydropower generation portfolio, which includes the 1.2MW Loboc mini-hydropower facility in Bohol; the 0.8MW Amlan plant in Negros Occidental and the 70MW Bakun facility in northern Luzon, wherein it takes the function of being an independent power producer administrator or IPPA.

The company’s other projects would be the 9.0MW Cantakoy mini-hydro project in Bohol, Tinoc mini-hydro projects as well as some other prospects in Luzon and Mindanao.

Sta Clara chairman Nicandro G. Linao has noted that this will be the company’s contribution in helping solve supply shortages which has not spared the island-province.

This run-of-river facility will be the initial foray of Co in power generation. He will effectively be joining the bandwagon of renewable energy (RE) developers which are anticipated swarming the electricity sector following the shaping of policies in that investment area.

Linao have noted that power interruptions in Mindoro has resulted in “huge losses for businesses”, hence, his company will be coming in “to address (these) concerns by putting up the Catuiran hydro project.”

Based on the project brief, the facility will be sited approximately 30 kilometers southwest of Calapan City and will be drawing its water supply for power generation from the Catuiran river.

Sta. Clara president Asisclo T. Gonzaga has emphasized that the facility will be their response to the government’s call for RE-based investments in the power generation sector.

“We expect to start construction within the year… with the growing concern on the environment, it has been proven that mini-hydropower has the least adverse effect on the environment thereby making it the most socially-acceptable energy source,” he explained.   source