PNOC completes studies on four potential hydropower plant sites

The Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) has completed the feasibility studies for four potential hydropower projects in Luzon and the Visayas, a top company official said.

PNOC president Eduardo Mañalac said the first two studies were conducted in the Timbaban and Villasiga areas in Panay Island while the other two studies were made in Catuiran in Mindoro; and Sicopong in Negros.

According to Mañalac, there are four more ongoing studies for various small hydropower projects.

"Ongoing feasibility studies are the Palawan (Langogan and Babuyan), being conducted by Soluziona (Spain), and the Kalinga-Pasil, undertaken by Westjec," he said.

The PNOC chief said they are optimistic they would be able to push through with one of these hydropower projects this year.

"The intent of PNOC is to demonstrate that small hydroelectric plants in the country can work," he said.

He said so far, interested parties in the Villasiga hydropower project include Korea Electric Corp. (Kepco) and Fusion Electric. "We’re talking to them to see how we can further this."

Mañalac said all the renewable energy projects of the PNOC group would be handled by PNOC-Energy Development Corp. (PNOC-EDC).