No over-release of water from Angat Dam, says Napocor

MALOLOS CITY — The National Power Corp. (Napocor) denied claims by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) that the low water level of Angat Dam, which supplies water to Metro Manila, was due to its over-release of water.

Engineer Rodolfo German, manager of the 246-megawatt Angat River hydroelectric power plant, told The STAR that Angat’s low water level was largely due to lack of rainfall.

"I don’t know the basis of MWSS’ allegations, but one thing is sure — we generate water from rain that falls on the watershed and we don’t have much rain so far this year," he said.

He said that while the hydroelectric power plant has the capacity to generate 246 MW, it could only churn out 38 MW lately.

The plant’s management used to follow orders from the MWSS, but this changed with the passage of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 that gave birth to the wholesale electricity spot market and the creation of the National Transmission Corp. (Transco).

"If we have over-released water, it is very minimal," German said, adding that they do not just release water without the approval of the National Water Resources Board (NWRB).

MWSS Administrator Orlando Hondrade earlier called the NWRB’s attention to what he claimed was the over-release of water by Napocor that might have contributed to the low water level of Angat Dam.

Raul Agustin, of the provincial disaster coordinating office, said the dam had a water level of only 192.32 meters at 8 a.m. yesterday. This water level is considered low at this time of the year.

Meanwhile, rice farmers in Bulacan and Pampanga fear that they may not be able to plant next month due to lack of irrigation.

Jess Perez, operations and maintenance manager of the National Irrigation Administration’s office in San Rafael, Bulacan, said a total of 26,000 hectares of farmlands need to be irrigated in the two provinces.