Suweco to commission Sorsogon hydro plant

MANILA, Philippines - Sunwest Water and Electric Co. (Suweco), a renewable energy company, has set for commissioning this year its 600-kilowatt mini-hydropower plant in Sorsogon.

The company is investing P80 million for the power project in Barangay Guinlajon, Sorsogon City. To date, 81 percent of the project has been completed and is targeted for commissioning by June.

The project, which is expected to generate 2.786-gigawatt per hour (GWH) annually, would be a significant contribution to the province’s peak demand of 12.406 MW, based on the latest available demand data of Sorsogon II Electric Cooperative (SORECO II).

The Cawayan Upper hydro project is a joint venture project of SUWECO with SORECO II.

Under the agreement, Suweco is responsible for the rehabilitation and development of the plant, which would be jointly operated by both parties.

The 600-MW mini hydropower plant is part of Suweco’s hydro portfolio.

Suweco’s priority is to develop hydropower projects and help electric cooperatives rehabilitate and improve their existing generating capacities, said its president Jose Silvestre Natividad.

“We develop projects regardless of size as we believe that in unison these small projects will provide a big contribution to our communities through all the direct and indirect benefits brought about by our projects to our host communities, thus we provide window for a better way of life and better future where communities coexists with a vibrant ecosystem,” he said.

Aside from the Sorsogon plant, Suweco has two operational mini-hydro power plants with a total installed capacity of 3.6 MW in the island of Catanduanes.

The company is also near finished with the addition of eight-MW capacity in a plant in Bugasong, Antique.