TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The proponent of the 40-megawatt solar farm in the city is awaiting the service contract from the energy department to be able to push through with the initial phase of the construction of the renewable energy facility to help lower the power rates being charged by the Kalinga-Apayao electric Cooperative (KAELCO) from the consumers.
Mayor Darwin C. Estran֮ero said that Sun Power, the proponent of the solar farm in the city, will initially put up the facility capable of producing some 5 to 10 megawatts of power which will be sufficient to cater to the power requirements of both Kalinga and Apayao before pursuing other phases of the renewable energy project.
He added that the initial operation of the solar farm will contribute in lowering the prevailing generation charge to more or less P6 per kilowatt hour which will also translate to lower power cost to the consumers in the future.
Currently, KAELCO charges its consumers P16 to P18 per kilowatt hour because of the high generation charge being passed on from its power supplier to the consumers.
“We fully support the put up of the solar farm because of its significant contribution in possibly lower the existing power rates being billed to us by the electric cooperative. The operation of the solar power farm will definitely help in increasing existing sources of renewable energy which is environmentally-friendly” Mayor Estran֮ero stressed.
The local chief executive claimed that the solar farm will be constructed within the identified industrial zone in the city once the service contract will be available so that the renewable energy facility will be operational the soonest.
Earlier, the energy department supported the development of potential renewable energy sources in the different parts of the country to contribute in significantly increasing the available supply of renewable energy that will be infused to the grid and blended with other power sources.
The mayor stated that the put up and operation of the solar power farm will also provide employment opportunities for qualified residents aside from the income that will be derived by the city government from its operations in the future.
The proponent conducted a feasibility study on the potentials of the put up of the solar farm in the city and found out that it can produce some 40 to 45 megawatts of renewable energy which will be infused to the grid once the facility will be able to produce electricity from solar.
The mayor stipulated that the confidence of the proponent in the put up of the renewable energy facility will help in enticing more investors to establish their businesses in the city to contribute in providing more employment opportunities for the residents and reasonable income to the local government that will be used to bankroll the implementation of more development projects and enhance the delivery of basic services for the welfare of the greater majority of the populace.
He expressed hope that the needed service contract will be released by the energy department for the realization of the project because of its important contribution in sustaining the country’s supply of renewable energy.
