BY: CARLO LORENZO J. DATU

Saturday 12th of July 2014

RIZAL, Nueva Ecija, July 12 (PIA) -- Renewables Corporation of Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) officially begun Friday the construction of a one-megawatt hydropower plant in Rizal town- its first project in Nueva Ecija.

“Located in barangay Poblacion West, the Rizal Pampanga River Irrigation System Main Canal Hydropower came into fruition via a collaboration with the National Irrigation Administration to harness hydropower from irrigation systems,” PNOC Renewables President and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Jose Gatmaitan said during the groundbreaking rites.

A Memorandum of Agreement was signed by the two state agencies on November 7,2012 for the development of six initial sites with the service contract for the Rizal project being secured last February 2014.

The commissioning is being planned by the middle of 2015.

“The groundbreaking of this hydropower plant is a concrete example of how coordination, proper facilitation, and obligation can do to advance our communal objective. For some, a one-megawatt facility is a minute solution to our ballooning energy demand and challenges. I beg to disagree. We need to understand that no matter how small power facilities are, they exist for a purpose that is altruistic and noble. The main purpose after all is to contribute to our society and that determination to serve is already enough to congratulate and commend the people who rallied behind for the success of this ceremony,” Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said in a statement read by Renewable Energy Management Bureau chief Mario Marasigan.

For his part, Rizal Mayor Rafaelito Andres thanked PNOC-Renewables for the project and assured full support to such by ensuring security during construction and eventually in its operations.

He expressed hopes that the soon-to-be-built plant would somehow lower the rate and improve the quality of electricity in their town.

Aside from this, another hydropower project in Nueva Ecija is in the pipeline, which is located along the Super Diversion Canal Lateral C of NIA in the Science City of Munoz.

PNOC Renewables is the primary vehicle of the government in promoting and developing new and renewable energy sources in the Philippines, to boost the country’s level of energy self-sufficiency.

It is actively developing 365 megawatts of potential renewable energy capacity either on its own or with public or private sector partners. (CLJD-PIA 3)

This press release originally appeared here.