Mindanao Development Authority wants control over Agus-Pulangi plant

MANILA, Philippines - The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is urging Congress to pass a law that will allow Mindanao to manage and operate the crucial power facility in the region before the end of the Aquino administration.

MinDA is strongly opposing the privatization of the 982-megawatt (MW) Agus-Pulangi hydroelectric power plants, saying these facilities should be operated by the proposed Mindanao Power Corp. (MPC).

The Agus-Pulangi plants are currently under  the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. or PSALM,  the agency tasked to manage state-owned power assets.

PSALM is eyeing to sell these hydro power plants in 2017.

“We remain consistent with what we have put forward in terms of pushing for the passage of a bill that will allow Mindanao Power Corp. to take over, manage and operate Agus and Pulangi, “ MinDA investment promotions and public affairs director Romeo Montenegro said.

“Unfortunately, we have less than two months before the current Congress ends so it’s possible it may be refiled in the next Congress,” Montenegro added.

Montenegro noted that the Mindanao business community is opposing the privatization of the Agus-Pulangi plants and is supporting the establishment of the MPC.

The idea to let MPC take over the facilities is to allow the region to directly reap the benefits of operating the hydropower plants.

According to Montenegro, the hydropower facilities play a crucial role in providing cheap power supply to the region.