MALOLOS CITY, Philippines – The National Power Corp. (Napocor) should cancel the planned cloud seeding over Angat Dam to save government funds since the rainy season is here, Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado said yesterday.
Alvarado said the funds should instead be used to provide electricity and water supply to Dumagat School at the Napocor compound in Norzagaray town.
Earlier reports said Napocor was set to conduct a second cloud seeding operation over Angat Dam as the water level remained below the critical level despite rains brought by typhoons.
Napocor will reportedly spend P2.6 million for the second cloud seeding. The same amount was spent during the first cloud seeding last May.
Alvarado said it is ironic that the school is located within the compound of the Napocor and yet it has no power and water supply.
Napocor generates electricity from the dam for its Luzon grid. The water supply for Metro Manila is sourced from here as well.
Alvarado also suggested that the funds should be reserved for the El Niño, which is forecast to hit the country by the end of the year.
As this developed, Rodolfo German, manager of Napocor’s Angat River Hydro Electric Power Plant in Norzagaray, told The STAR that the planned cloud seeding operation has been temporarily suspended.