Hedcor Bukidnon bares supply contracts with six power co-ops

By Manuel Cayon - January 16, 2017

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/hedcor-bukidnon-bares-supply-contracts-with-six-power-co-ops/

DAVAO CITY—The Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative (Zaneco) has entered into a second supply contract deal with Hedcor Bukidnon, which will operate the 68.8-megawatt (MW) hydroelectric power plant under construction.

Zaneco signed with the Aboitiz Power Corp. subsidiary for additional 5 MW for its franchise areas, availing itself a total of 10 MW supply from the power plant whose construction in Manolo Fortich town is estimated at 70-percent complete. Hedcor said Zaneco earlier entered into a 5-MW supply contract in June 2016.

Zaneco is among the six electric cooperatives with supply contracts with the Hedcor plant in Bukidnon.  It has contracts with Zamboanga del Sur Electric Cooperatives 1 and 2, Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative, Misamis Occidental Electric Cooperative and Siargao Electric Cooperative.

The supply contracts with the three Zamboanga electric cooperatives would help the electricity-starved peninsula get back on its feet to attract investments into the region, which is hounded by lack of industries to support its largely agriculture and fisheries sectors.

With Zaneco’s second contract, Hedcor’s Manolo Fortich plant has 23 mw already contracted.

Hedcor’s Manolo Fortich plant would join the list of run-of-river hydropower plants in the country operated by the subsidiaries of Aboitiz Power Corp.

This plant would tap the rivers of Tanaon, Guihean and Amusig for its two cascading run-of-river power plants in Manolo Fortich.

These two plants were estimated to produce 360 gigawatts-hour “of clean and renewable energy every year for the Mindanao grid”, a company statement said.

“Manolo Fortich Hydro will enable us to further our commitment to support the energy needs of our country, particularly in Mindanao. At AboitizPower, we look beyond profitability and explore better ways to integrate good social development and responsible environmental stewardship into our business operations,”  said Rolando Pacquiao, Hedcor VP for Mindanao Operations.   He added that “the first of the two cascading run-of-river hydropower plants, Manolo Fortich 1, which is contracted to JV Angeles Construction, is now 70-percent complete.”

The Manolo Fortich 2, the second power plant being constructed by Sta. Clara International Corp., “is now on its 68-percent completion status”. The hydropower-generation facility is set to be completed by the third quarter of this year.

The company said it currently operates 22 hydroelectric power plants in the country. Five of them are located in Davao City, four in Davao del Sur, 11 in Benguet, one in Mountain Province and one in Ilocos Sur.  These power plants produce a combined total of 185 mw.