Napocor puts up P1.9-B flood control project in Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines - The National Power Corp. (Napocor), the state-owned power company, is putting up a P1.9 billion flood control project for Agus 1 and 2 hydroelectric power plants inside the Agus-Pulangi Power Complex in Mindanao.

Napocor president Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita said that with the project, the Agus power plants could operate at their respective rated capacities of 180 megawatts and 80 MW, respectively.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) would undertake the project this year.

“With the construction of the Baloi Plain Flood Control Project, Agus 1 and 2 that operates on limited loads of 120 MW and 50 MW can be loaded at their respective rated capacities of 180 MW and 80 MW respectively. This will combine a total load of 260 MW, a 90MW additional capacity for our Mindanao grid,” said Sta. Rita.

Napocor helped paved the way to commence the flood control project through the granting of financial assistance to the residents of Baloi affected by the 2004 and 2008 flooding in the plains of Baloi and who earlier opposed the construction of the project.

Napocor, which operates and maintains Agus 1 and 2, intends to increase the confidence levels of the major plant components and auxiliaries such as the Marawi Lake Regulation Dam, the Agus 2 Plant Spillway gates and the power intakes of both plants.

Furthemore, Napocor would also be upgrading the control and protection system of the Agus 2 hydroelectric plant and the present computer-based controls and protection systems of the Agus 1 plant.

Also included in the list of projects in the pipeline is the upgrade of control gates of the dam so that these do not cause water wastage and frequent downtime.

The Baloi Plains Flood Control Project would also prevent the overflowing of Agus River, resulting in flooding and damaging of crops, Sta-Rita said.

The plants are two of the seven hydroelectric plants under maintenance and operation of Napocor’s Mindanao Generation Group.

The other hydroelectric plants are Agus 4, 5, 6, 7 and Pulangi.