Business Mirror
24 Oct 2013
PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan—A renewable-energy company is eyeing to grab a foothold of Palawan’s energy supply requirement through the construction of hydropower plants here and two other towns in the province.
The Palawan-based Langogan Power Corp. said it can generate a combined 20 megawatts (MW) of electricity through the construction of hydropower plants at the Langogan, Batang Batang and Talakaigan rivers.
Project Manager Jenny Monteagodo said the company is eyeing to generate a maximum of 10 MW at the Langogan River alone. Its proposed power plant site is in Barangay Langogan in this city.
On the other hand, she said another proposed project tapping Batang Batang River’s potential power-generating capacity in Barangay Princess Urdunja, Sitio Mariwara in the town of Narra can generate 5 MW.
Last, the company is eyeing to put up a power plant in Talakaigan river, specifically in Barangay Kabigaan, in the town of Aborlan.
Various studies have confirmed the power-generation capacity of these rivers. Langogan Power has been conducting a study of the potentials of these renewable-energy sources since 2007, according to Monteagodo.
Hydropower plants are being pushed as an alternative to fossil fuel power plants that currently generate electricity being distributed by the Palawan Electric Cooperative.
Non-government groups like the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in the Philippines has been lobbying for investment in clean, renewable energy in lieu of “dirty” sources like coal.
Coal, to note, forms nearly 90 percent of the country’s power source.
The group has maintained that coal-fired power plants threaten the health of residents here, as well as the pristine environment of the province, considered as the country’s last frontier of biological diversity.
The group launched on Tuesday a campaign to again urge the national and local governments, private-sector and financing institutions to invest in clean, renewable energy.
But the local power cooperative is not keen on accepting Langogan Power’s proposals, noting that it may not be able to deliver its promised power-generation capacity, particularly during the summer when rivers go dry.
Currently, Palawan’s power supply comes from diesel and bunker fuel power plants generated by the National Power Corp., DMCI and Delta-P.
DMCI is eyeing to put up a coal-fired power plant, initially in Narra. However, because of strong opposition of communities against the project, the company is now looking at Aborlan municipality.
The proposed power plant will generate 15 MW of electricity.
Meanwhile, a nickel mining company operating in Narra is eyeing to put up its own coal-fired power plant as part of its expansion plan.
The company wants to put up a smelting plant to boost revenue from its nickel mine in the area.
The mining company, as well as the push for the construction of coal-fired power plant in Palawan, is facing stiff opposition because of their destructive nature.
The provincial government of Palawan, however, is tempted to allow the construction of a coal-fired power plant despite the strong opposition expressed by various stakeholders in Palawan.
A member of the Provincial Board of Palawan is lobbying in the town of Aborlan for officials of the local government and fisherfolk to give consent and approval.
The proposed site is near a mangrove area, where hundreds of fishermen reside.
WWF said there are alternative, more environment-friendly ways of generating power and electricity enough to supply Palawan’s energy requirement sans dirty coal or fossil-fuel power plants.
Palawan is considered a “Man and Biosphere Reserve” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The province is also home to two Unesco World Heritage Sites: the famous Tubbataha Reef and the Puerto Princesa Underground River. source
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