(The Philippine Star) | Updated March 9, 2017 - 12:00am
There’s good news for
the people of Mindanao when Malacañang reported that Pres. Rodrigo Duterte has
approved the proposal to create rail and power bodies in Mindanao. Call it a
dream come true for the people of Mindanao and it could only happen because one
of their own is now President. For many decades, Mindanao has been dubbed “The
Land of Promise.” Well, finally the promise of a Mindanao railway is fast
becoming a reality, where we can see its fruition in our lifetime.
Now as far as the
creation of power bodies for Mindanao is concerned. Actually, Mindanao today
has ample power reserves. Just a couple of weeks ago, AboitizPower reportedly
added 800 MW power plants ranging from renewable energy sources to coal-fired
“clean energy” plants as reported by my good friend, chief operating officer
Antonio Moraza. This mix includes the 69 MW Manolo Fortich Hydropower plant in
Bukidnon and the 8.5 MW Maris Canal hydropower project in Isabela. Of
AboitizPower’s capacity of 3,350 MW from all over the country, 30% of this
comes from renewable energy sources.
Attracted by the power
mix of AboitizPower, six electric cooperatives from Mindanao, namely, the
Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative, Zamboanga del Sur Electric Cooperatives 1
and 2, Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative, Misamis Occidental 1 Electric
Cooperative and the Siargao Electric Cooperative last month signed a renewable
energy supply contract with Hedcor an AboitizPower subsidiary that is currently
building a 68.8 MW Manolo Fortich hydro power plant in Bukidnon. I have seen
the Hedcor hydro power plant outside of Davao City and it is impressive. With
AboitizPower serving Mindanao, we can foresee no more blackouts that plagued
Mindanao in the previous years… hopefully!
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