300MW Pulangi V HEP Project gets RDC-X nod

The Regional Development Council of Northern Mindanao (RDC-X) has endorsed the 300 MW Pulangi V Hydroelectric Power (HEP) Project during its 89th Full Council Meeting, held here, yesterday, June 28.

In her presentation to the members, Ozamiz City Mayor, Nova Princess Parojinog-Echavez, Chairperson of the RDC-X Infrastructure and Development Committees said the project is supportive of the national and regional government agenda of energy independence and of the Philippine Renewable Energy Act of 2008.
“It will also help address the growing demand for electricity from the Mindanao Grid and supportive of the development strategies of the region in promoting investments, by ensuring the availability of sufficient, reliable, affordable and accessible power supply,” she said.

In asserting the role of Northern Mindanao as the gateway and industrial core and trade center in the south, one of the key strategies that shall be pursued along infrastructure development is to improve the power generation system.

This will be done through private sector investments, including renewable energy projects, and power transmission and distribution system to ensure stable and quality supply of energy to drive dynamic and sustainable development.

The project was initially proposed in 1991, by the National Power Corporation (NPC), the original project proponent, which spearheaded the preparation of its feasibility study (FS) but deferred its implementation due to the 1991 power crisis.
The FS was revalidated in 1997 but the project implementation was again deferred due to the ASEAN financial crisis.

Based on the 1997 version of the project FS, the total cost was estimated at US$348 million or Php9.396 billion at Php27 per US$.
However, the passage of the EPIRA Law in 2001, rendered NPC unable to engage in building power generation plants.

In 2009, the Greenergy Development Corp.(GDC), initiated the revalidation of the FS with priority on the Hydrology and Water Flow tests in coordination with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
Echavez said the GDC is engaged in energy and power sector consultancy services, FS preparations and environment impact assessment, among others.

Meanwhile, Echavez said the project shall be located in the southern part of Bukidnon, covering four (4) towns: Kiataotao, Dangcagan, Kibawe and Damulog which is about 40 km. down stream of the existing Pulangui IV HEP Plant power house.

The dam site shall be located in the town of Pres. Roxas, North Cotabato with a plant capacity of 300 MW divided in three (3) units involving the construction of river diversion facilities, dams, embankment and reservoir filling and commissioning, among others.

The project facilities shall be completed by a double circuit 138KV transmission line (20 km.) to be connected to the existing main substation at Kibawe.

Estimated to be completed in 6 years, the revised project cost based on the current estimate of the project proponent is Php33 billion, thus, GDC is looking for strategic partners to finance the project with the following breakdown:
Total civil works, PHhp22.869.34billion consisting of clearing, diversion tunnels, roads construction, landscaping, cofferdam, dam foundation, dam embankment, spillway, penstock, powerhouse, tailrace, switch yards, etc., hydro mechanical equipment, Php4,809.86billion and electrical equipment, Php5,261.96billion.

All that is needed is an updated FS to incorporate the revised financial and economic analysis of the project and endorsements from the local government units (LGU) of Bukidnon, North Cotabato, Kibawe and Barangays Sanipon and Pinamula of the same town, Echavez said.

Likewise, all necessary clearances had to be secured by GDC from the National Commission of Indigenous People (NCIP), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Environment Management Bureau (EMB) and NWRB. (PIA-10)