Tuesday, October 8, 2013
MANOLO FORTICH, Bukidnon -- Seven tribal groups inked a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Aboitiz power company Hedcor, to develop the proposed 51.6-megawatts (MW) hydropower project here.
Tribal leaders and members of Santiago Tribal Community Inc., Higaonon Tribal Communities, Maluko Tribal Council, Bukidnon Tribal Community, Amosignon-Higaonon Tribal Organization, Nalandangan Tribal Datu Association Inc., and Apo Datu Namikunan Association Inc. joined the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing with Hedcor's vice president for business and development Gregorio "Boy" Jabonillo.
"Kami nga mga tribo nanghinaot sa dakong kaayo nga matagamtaman namo sa umaabot nga adlaw luyo niining proyekto sa Hedcor. Garbo namo nga among lugar ang napili nga tukoran sa hydropower plant kay ako naga tuo nga matabangan gyud ang kadaghanan niini (Our tribes are hopeful for the benefits we will get from Hedcor's project. It is our pride that our areas have been seen as potential source for hydropower project)," tribal leader Datu Manludigan Honorio Sunohoy said.
Hedcor intends to build two cascading plants that will harness run-of-river hydropower from the Amusig, Guihean, and Tanaon rivers.
The proposed Manolo Fortich Hydro 1 will have a capacity of 35.2 MW and the Manolo Fortich Hydro 2 will generate up to 16.4 MW. The two plants combined can produce almost a total of 300 million kWh of clean and renewable energy per year.
As stipulated in the MOA, these host communities will gain substantial benefit from the project.
"For 35 years in developing and operating run-of-rivers hydropower plants, we uphold the sustainability and inclusive growth of our host communities. These MOAs will stand as proof to our agreed responsibilities," Jabonillo said.
He said the hydropower plants will be using the run-of-river scheme which is acclaimed to have the least adverse effect on the environment.
As run-of-river, these plants will operate through the use of a diversion weir, a non-impounding structure that diverts a portion of the river into the plants to generate electricity.
Hedcor, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AboitizPower, has 19 run-of-river hydropower plants in Benguet, Ilocos Sur, Davao del Sur, and Davao City with a total combined capacity of 155 MW. source
No comments:
Post a Comment