Panay Island to have 9 new hydropower plants

Suweco aims to complete nine hydropower projects all in Panay Island, Philippines.

The plants will have a total capacity of 47 megawatts.

These are are situated in the provinces of Aklan and Antique—are in Bugasong, Antique (8-MW Villasiga 1 and 9.4-MW Villasiga 2); Libacao, Aklan (15-MW Main Aklan, 2.4-MW Upper Aklan West Tributary, 3-MW Lower East Aklan Tributary and 2.4-MW Middle West Tributary); Laua-an Antique (2-MW Guiamon San Ramon); Barbasa, Antique (3-MW Dalanas); and in Tibiao, Antique (2.1-MW Tibiao). It takes P180 million to produce 1 MW of power, as per Suweco estimates.

Of the nine projects, only the 8-MW Villasiga 1 in Bugasong, Antique, will commence commercial operations this year.

Suweco President Jose Silvestre Natividad, in a statement, said the Villasiga 1 project is about 85-percent complete and is expected to start generating power with an annual 31.4-gigawatt hours capacity starting June.

This plant will utilize the Paliuan River to generate power.

All nine projects are meant to address the power shortage in the Panay Island.

“Suweco’s nine hydropower projects are necessary to help ease the power shortage currently being experienced in the Panay Island,” said  Gov. Exequiel Javier of Antique.

“The entry of these hydropower projects is expected to increase the sources of reliable, clean and cost-efficient indigenous power in the island. And hopes to displace unreliable and costly oil-based plants and barges in Panay and the Visayas,” added Aklan Gov. Carlito Marques.

For more.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/business/companies/7326-suweco-sets-plans-for-9-power-projects