DA to conduct cloud seeding over Lake Lanao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture will conduct cloud seeding operations over Lake Lanao in Marawi City in an effort to increase the lake’s water level.

Mindanao is largely dependent on hydroelectric power sources mainly from Lake Lanao and Pulangi River in Bukidnon. 

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) yesterday pegged Mindanao’s peak demand at 1,141 megawatts while the actual supply only reached 1,003 MW, or a shortage of 138 MW. 

At present, the NGCP has imposed a power curtailment scheme, bringing power outages of up to eight to 10 hours in most parts of the island.  

This prompted the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) to seek the DA’s help to conduct cloud seeding operations over Lake Lanao to trigger rains in the area. 

According to MinDA, a team of cloud seeding experts from the DA’s Bureau of Soils and Water Management was fielded yesterday to assess the weather condition and cloud formation in the area.