Good news for electric consumers of Negros Occidental.

The 40-megawatt geothermal power plant of the Philippine National Oil Company-Energy Development Corp. in Sitio Pata-an, Brgy. Mailum, Bago City, is expected to be operational early next year, its spokesman Joey Higgins said yesterday.

Higgins also said the construction of the geothermal power plant, which is 30 percent completed as of this time, is also projected to be finished at the end of 2006.

The electricity derived from geothermal power will be earmarked for use by Negrenses, he said. Whatever excess will be distributed to other islands covered by the Visayas power grid, Higgins said.

The P3.8 billion geothermal development project, which started in 1995, has a life span of 25 years.

The state-owned PNOC-EDC also commits its compliance to environmental standards and the maximization of community benefits set by the Protected Area Management Board of Mt. Kanlaon, reversion of non-utilized area to original land use prescription in the park plan, and to assist in watershed management, among others, he said.

Of the 169 hectares allowed to be used for geothermal exploration, 50 hectares have been utilized as the site for the construction of the power plant, Higgins said.

He also said that all geothermal drillings were made by PNOC outside the Mt. Kanlaon National Park.

We expect no more power shortfalls in the next several years for residents of Negros Occidental, Higgins added.

The two other geothermal power plants in Oriental Negros, also provide electricity to other areas in the Visayas.*GPB

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