Alcantaras commit to Mindanao power

SPYBITS By Babe G. Romualdez (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 13, 2014 - 12:00am

Businessmen are unhappy at the prospect of rotating blackouts that could last for 10 hours or longer especially with the onset of summer, with many complaining about huge losses due to the continuing power interruptions in the region. 
Last Feb. 27, the whole island of Mindanao was plunged into total darkness much to the consternation and embarrassment of Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla who could not immediately pinpoint the cause of the outage except to say that the system in Mindanao is “antiquated.” 
Over the years, population growth has spurred greater demand for energy but unfortunately, it’s been difficult to attract investors’ interest in developing new infrastructure that could mitigate the situation. 
As Secretary Petilla himself noted, it takes as much as four years to build a new power plant, not to mention the billions needed for the investment. 
Malacanang has issued an appeal for Mindanao residents to exercise patience, stressing that government is doing everything to look for long-term solutions to address the supply shortfall and avert a power crisis that could cripple growth. 
 There’s a bright spark, however, with several coal-fired power plants set to become operational in the next couple of years, thanks in large part to companies like the Aboitiz and the Alcantara Group that are investing billions to help address the power supply deficit. 
Tommy Alcantara recently visited the manufacturing facilities of Fuji Electric in Kawasaki, Japan where a state-of-the-art turbine is being built for the Alsons Power Group’s 210-MW power plant in Sarangani province. 
Tommy happens to be the chairman of the Alsons Power Group whose Sarangani Energy Corp. has just achieved a milestone with the completed foundation work for the boiler and steam engine turbine generator building of the 210-MW coal-fired power plant currently being constructed in Maasim, Sarangani. 
Alsons is on track to start operating the first 105-MW section by September next year with the other 105-MW expected to be functional by 2016. 
The Sarangani plant is part of a long-term solution that will help power up Mindanao and keep the province from being plunged into the age of darkness once again. 
The Alcantaras have long been committed to the development of Mindanao through community development programs spearheaded by the Alcantara Foundation and company subsidiaries. 
As a matter of fact, the Alcantara Foundation, Alsons Power subsidiary Mapalad Power Corporation plus other private groups and NGOs recently inked education and environment programs with the city government of Iligan. Called i4C or Iligan for Children, the education component will help improve the quality of education in schools, while the environmental component will involve the production of artificial reef domes in coastal communities and the planting of some 50,000 mangroves in select areas to help protect and preserve the marine ecosystem. 

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