BAGUIO CITY – The energy department recently endorsed the 3.2-megawatt Man-asok mini-hydroelectric power plant of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) in Sebang, Buguias, Benguet after having complied with requirements under the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9513, otherwise known as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008.
Further, the Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla also declared that this minihydro power plant is already eligible to operate under the Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) system and is capable of producing an average of 14.688 giga-watt hour annual generation.
Secretary Lotilla issued this endorsement solely for the purpose of qualifying the Man-asok minihydro power plant under the FIT system and without prejudice to compliance with the requirements in the operation of generation facility set under RA 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001.
In his certificate of endorsement, the DOE Secretary stated that the said Man-asok power plant has been endorsed for the issuance of the required certificate of compliance by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) authorizing the plant to operate as FIT-eligible plant subject to the terms and conditions attached to the said compliance that include compliance to the Philippine Grid Code in the duration of the FIT, among others.
The 3.2 MW Man-asok minihydro power plant has been in commercial operation since July 1, 2022 after its construction was hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic that caused the serious delay in the completion of the project and its eventual operation.
BENECO general manager Engr. Melchor S. Licoben disclosed that the electric cooperative is setting its sights on other potential areas in Benguet where several hydro power plants could be built in partnership with the indigenous peoples who own the ancestral domain where these are located to help in increasing the availability of renewable and cheap power on the grid.
Aside from looking into the potentials of the river systems in Kabayan town as one of the proposed sites for a series of minihydro power plants, Licoben claimed that there are also other sites in Tuba and Kibungan that are being eyed for the put up of the said renewable energy plants with the support of the local governments and the indigenous peoples.
The memorandum of agreement (MOA) that was entered into by and between BENECO and the indigenous peoples for the put up of the Man-asok mini-hydroelectric power plant is considered as the most advantageous to the host communities because the projected benefits of the host communities from the operation of the power plant is around P0.26 per kilowatt-hour compared to the industry practice of only P0.01/kwh.
Further, after the lapse of the 25-year agreement and upon renewal of the same agreement for another 25 years, the ancestral domain owners and the local government will be owning 50 percent of the power plant that will already make the partnership a joint venture between BENECO and the ancestral domain owners and the local government.
BENECO is one of the top performing electric cooperatives in the country because of its ability to excellently operate while charging its consumers with cheap power rates despite it being hounded by challenges to its management and leadership.
