MisOr coal-fired power plant energizes 22 villages

Sunstar Cagayan de Oro
By Butch D. Enerio
Thursday, October 23, 2014


AN ENERGY firm operating in Misamis Oriental energized 22 villages in Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental and in the two cities in northern Mindanao.

The coal-fired power plant Steag State Power Inc. (Steag), through its Fostering Rural Electrification and Energization (FREE), a collaborative effort with the Department of Energy (DOE), concerned local government units and the various electric cooperatives and distribution utilities in the region, has made the electrification of the targeted areas possible.

The recipient communities include seven in Misamis Oriental; eight in Misamis Occidental; six in this city; and one in Oroquieta city, that brought the total of energized communities to 38 since the start of the electrification project in 2011 under FREE project in the region.

P23-million

The project cost for the 22 energized communities amounted to more than P23 million, which has been funded under Steag’s contribution to the Philippines Expanded Rural Electrification Program and pursuant to DOE’s ER 1-94 program where power generators set aside one-centavo for every kilowatt hour of electricity sale for various social and environmental protection program and projects.

The ceremonial switch on Wednesday was witnessed by Rep. Juliet Uy of the Second District of Misamis Oriental, DOE representative, local leaders, and representatives from the different power utilities.

Rep. Uy as the guest speaker lauded the effort of Steag in bringing light to the remote areas in the province, which in the recent past only the urban areas enjoy.

“I am most happy that now, sitios are covered and electricity have reached some of the remotest areas in the province.” Uy said, adding “that more school children in the hinterlands can now do their homework at night.”

She also thanked Steag for being generous in giving back to the communities by sharing part of the proceeds of the power generated by the company.

2 million households without electricity

Uy said that in Mindanao there are almost 2 million households which do not have electricity or more than 5 million people in the island who do not benefit from the government’s electrification program.

Dr. Carsten Evers, Steag plant manager, said that they are looking forward to energizing the whole of Misamis Oriental in the years the come.

“We, at Steag are projecting to energize the whole of our host province if not the whole of Mindanao’s remotest areas before our build-transfer-and operate contract with the National Power Corp. expires in 2031,” Evers said.

He said that since the start of Steag’s operation in 2006 it has already produced more than 10 billion kilowatt hours of electricity.

Evers said the electrification project, although is closest to Steag’s business, the company’s social responsibility (CSR) include environmental protection, education, livelihood programs where its host municipality is currently benefiting, aside from the whole municipality is already energized.

Since 2006, Steag is growing 120 trees a day, its commitment within 25 years for the protection of the environment, including the planting of mangroves and part of its aqua marine protection program, in selected areas in the province. source