The Asian Development Bank has agreed in principle to give Negros Occidental  additional grants to build more  hydro plants, one of which is proposed to  power the Mambukal Resort in Murcia, Jose Ma. Valencia, chief of staff of Gov. Isidro Zayco, said yesterday.

The ADB committed the grants to the governor, who is pushing for the building of hydroelectric plants in various parts of Negros Occidental on top of the micro-hydro plants to power small villages, Valencia said.

A micro-hydro has a capacity of  1 to 100 kilowatts while a mini-hydro, 101 kW to 10 megawatts, according to the Department of Energy.

With more mini hydro plants throughout the province on top of major power sources, we will able to ease the power shortage in Negros Occidental, Valencia pointed out.

Under the Renewable Energy for the Poor in Negros Occidental (RENEW Negros), the ADB and the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction has funded various projects to provide water and electricity in the province.

Among the projects RENEW Negros is implementing are three micro-hydro power plants with an aggregate output of 85 kW  to energize the homes of  270 families, and to run rice and corn mills to boost  livelihood opportunities, Valencia said.

Commissioned yesterday was the micro hydro project in Balea on Sipaway Island in San Carlos City, and today another micro-hydro project to serve residents of Sitios Vergara and Magtuod in Barangay Bug-ang, Toboso, Valencia said.

The third micro-hydro project in Sitio Baclao, Barangay Lagaan, Calatrava, is targeted for completion in August.

Valencia said ADB has also committed to provide grants to build three more mini-hydro projects in Negros Occidental, and based on their performance will consider more.

Of the three new projects, areas being eyed for two of them are in Mambukal, Murcia and Hiyang-Hiyang, Cadiz City, while a third site will have to be identified, Valencia said.

The mini-hydro project in Mambukal is targeted to tap power from the first falls and the boating lagoon of the resort, Valencia said. The project is estimated to cost P9.1 million and  to produce about 142 kW of power for the resort and residents of the neighboring areas, Valencia said.

This would allow savings of P1,105,120 million in annual electric bills for the resort and earnings of P1,039,328  million in power sales to residents of neighboring areas, he added.

On top of that, the governor is also pushing for a 60MW to 80MW hydroelectric plant  that will tap the Bago river, and is offering the tapping of the  Ilog-Hilabangan  River in the south, Sicaba River in Cadiz City, the Binalbagan river  and the Himoga-an River in Sagay City for the production of more hydroelectric power, he said.

Negros Occidental has seven big rivers, it has a huge potential for hydroelectric power, he said.

These plants will not only provide electricity but will prevent rivers from flooding, and provide irrigation, Valencia said.

Firms who put them up will also be compelled to conduct reforestation activities, he said.*CPG

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