4 Western Visayas provinces eye renewable power
BECAUSE of the high cost of power, four provinces in Western Visayas said that it is high time to develop and rely on renewable sources of energy.
The provinces of Guimaras, Antique and Aklan are now looking forward for power supplies from biomass, hydro and wind power.
Among the provinces in Western Visayas, Negros Occidental has the lowest power rate. Several investors for renewable energy have already signified interest in putting up their power plants in the province but they are still conducting feasibility studies for their respective projects.
Among those investors are Alto power for a hydro power plant tapping the Bago River and a Korean firm, which identified E.B. Magalona town as its site for solar power.
Meanwhile, Guimaras Governor Felipe Nava said the island province expects to produce wind power by year 2012 to 2013, as TransAsia is already laying the groundwork for the production of 54 megawatts of wind power.
The construction phase is expected to start next year, he said.
Guimaras consumes only 5 megawatts of power, so the rest of the generated power can be sold to Panay Island electric cooperatives, he added.
On the other hand, Rey Malleza of the Department of Energy - Visayas Field explained that the present high cost of power is due to the privatization of the power generating sources.
After the National Power Corporation (Napocor) was privatized, the government no longer subsidizes the generation cost which resulted in the increase from P3 to P7 per kilowatt hour.
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on July 02, 2011.
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