SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 Nov) – Electric cooperatives in Mindanao want to corner energy supplied by two diesel power plants of the Alcantara-owned Alsons Consolidated Resources, Inc., whose 18-year contract to supply power to National Power Corporation-Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation. (NPC-PSALM) is about to end.
Engr. Narciso I. Caliao Jr., general manager of Surigao del Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc., told MindaNews Thursday that members of the Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc.
(AMRECO) met in Cagayan de Oro City Tuesday to discuss their planned deal with Alsons, whose two power plants in Mindanao generates a total of 155 megawatts.
AMRECO is the umbrella organization of 33 electric cooperatives in Mindanao.
Alsons’ Western Mindanao Power Corporation (WMPC) has a 100-megawatt plant located in Sangali, Zamboanga City.
Its contract with NPC-SALM will expire next month.
On the other hand, the 55MW plant of the Southern Philippines Power Corporation (SPPC) in Alabel, Sarangani Province will terminate its power supply agreement in April next year.
The Alsons’ corporate website said the WMPC began commercial operations in 1997 while SPPC commenced operations in 1998. Both plants supply power to the Mindanao grid under an 18-year Energy Conversion Agreement with the NPC-PSALM.
“The effect is that NPC-PSALM will again reduce its supply to electric power cooperatives in Mindanao but AMRECO is discussing with Alsons to get their power supply,” Caliao said.
Engr. Sergio Dagooc, AMRECO president, did not respond to MindaNews’ call and text messages today but Caliao said they are hopeful that their deal with Alsons will be pushed through.
Like most of the electric cooperatives in Mindanao, Caliao said SURNECO has a daily power deficit of four to six megawatts.
