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TWO companies’ plans to put up hydroelectric power plants in
Mindanao have failed to take off due to the lack of government
support, an official said Thursday.
Cereal C. Donggay, project director of Normeco
Hydro Corp. and Mindanao Hydro Corp., said that the two firms plan
to invest $300 million and $500 million, respectively, for the
construction of separate hydro facilities in the island within the
year.
However, the projects have yet to get an
environmental compliance certificate, which the companies’ have
been trying to secure for two years already from the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Donggay said.
Normeco Hydro, which consists of eight electric
cooperatives in Region 10, is planning to up a 150 megawatt hydro
unit that is scheduled for completion in 2013. Mindanao Hydro will
construct a 300 megawatt facility that is expected to be completed
by 2014.
The proposed facilities are expected to help
meet a supply shortage in Mindanao starting next year. Besides this,
the plants will also offer cheap electricity as power generated from
hydros are cheaper than conventional plants.
Donggay said the companies are seeking the
Department of Energy’s (DOE) support in fast-tracking approval of
the regulatory requirements.
“There is a need for the DOE and the DENR to
be consistent in their policies on renewable energy to be able to
fast track the development in the renewable energy sector,” he
added.
-- Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo
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