By Sheldeen Joy Talavera, Reporter
ALSONS Power Group, the power arm of the Alcantara Group, said it will commence commercial operations of its P5.5-billion hydropower project in Sarangani province next month.
“Our first renewable energy (RE) project, the 14.5-megawatt (MW) Siguil Hydro Power Plant in Maasim, Sarangani, is scheduled to begin commercial operations this September,” Alsons Power Chief Executive Officer Antonio Miguel B. Alcantara told BusinessWorld last week.
The hydropower project is expected to generate 95,000 megawatt-hours per year and will be capable of powering approximately 41,000 households.
Mr. Alcantara noted that the road network established to support the operation and maintenance of the 23-kilometer water conveyance system of the power station “improved access to and from various indigenous settlements in the area.”
“This facilitates the transport of goods and produce from the hinterlands to the town center, significantly enhancing the incomes of the people around the power plant,” Mr. Alcantara said.
In addition to the Siguil hydropower project, the company is also developing a hydropower project along the Sindangan River in Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, as well as another hydropower project in Negros Occidental.
These projects are expected to begin construction by early next year.
Mr. Alcantara mentioned that these projects are part of a pipeline of nine hydropower projects which the company aims to complete over the next five years.
“We also plan to start the construction of our first large-scale solar project by the end of 2024, the first of several intended to establish Alsons Power as a major player in solar power generation,” he said.
Currently, Alsons’ power generation facilities are primarily concentrated in Mindanao. In total, Alsons’ portfolio comprises four power facilities with a combined capacity of 468 MW.
