Business World Online
Posted on December 01, 2014 10:27:00 PM
DAVAO CITY -- The Davao del Sur government is seeking to attract investors in renewable energy ahead of the 2016 elections that will install the first officials of the newly-founded Davao Occidental province, which consists of the former second district of Davao del Sur.
In a project proposal submitted to the Mindanao Development Authority, the provincial government said there are three potential hyrdroelectric plants that can be set up for an estimated total cost of $190 million under the public-private partnership (PPP) mechanism.
The proposed sites for the three plants, with a combined output of 43 megawatts (MW), are Malita (10 MW), which will become the capital of Davao Occidental; Don Marcelino (25 MW), another Davao Occidental town; and Digos City (8 MW), capital of Davao del Sur.
Digos City Mayor Joseph P. Penas earlier told BusinessWorld that another renewable energy project that can be developed in the province is a solar farm that will provide power to Kapatagan, an area which the city government is developing into an eco-tourism destination.
Davao Occidental, carved out of the southernmost part of Davao del Sur, was officially created by an act of Congress in July 2013.
Meanwhile, Aboitiz Power Corp. (AboitizPower) recently started exploration work for a planned 200-MW geothermal plant at the Mt. Apo area within Davao del Sur.
Aboitiz Renewables, Inc., the geothermal power arm of AboitizPower, has been exploring 20,000 hectares within the boundaries of Davao City, North Cotabato and Davao del Sur.
AboitizPower said developing renewable power sources is a means of balancing its energy mix in Mindanao where it will open next year a 300-MW coal-fired power plant, which is already being eyed for expansion to up to 600-MW.
Another Aboitiz subsidiary that is producing renewable power in Mindanao is Hedcor, Inc. with its four small hydroelectric power plants in Sibulan, Sta. Cruz, an industrial town in Davao del Sur.
The four plants have a combined 75-MW output, about two-thirds of which goes to neighboring Davao City and the remainder to the province. -- Carmelito Q. Francisco source
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