Aboitiz group mulls hydro plant in Isabela

MANILA, Philippines - The Aboitiz group is seriously considering putting up a bulk water reservoir and a hydroelectric power plant in Isabela, a company official said.

SN-Aboitiz Power (SNAP) chief executive officer Emmanuel Rubio said they are currently updating the data on the proposed Ilaguen B dam.

The project, Rubio said, would also involve putting up an 88-megawatt hydro power facility. “Large hydro projects would have a gestation period. The province (of Isabela) is really pushing for it. I think if the province is that serious about the project I think it will push through,” he said.

Rubio said they are now surveying the areas to be covered by the project. “It’s about 35,000 hectares of additional farmland, which is significant,” he said.

According to Rubio, there is a need to update the data they have on the project.

“The original study says it can generate 88-MW, but we’re updating that. We have no estimates yet. We initially estimate to complete the feasibility study by the end of this year. And if the Ilaguen B gets into full swing that more than we can chew,” he said.

Aside from Ilaguen project, APC had signified interest to put up a number of hydro power projects in frontier areas across the country.

Among these projects are the 33.8-megawatt Amburayan River prospect in Benguet; 10-megawatt Quirino prospect in Ilocos Sur; 175-megawatt Binongan prospect in Abra; 46-megawatt Addalam prospect in Quirino; 10-megawatt Hubo prospect in Surigao del Sur; 11.3-megawatt Asiga River prospect in Agusan del Norte; 17.5-megawatt Cateel E prospect in Davao del Norte; 30.6-megawatt Tran AC River prospect in Maguindanao; Lake Mainit River prospect in Agusan del Norte.

The projects, which have an aggregate capacity of 384.2 megawatts, have a total estimated cost of $960.5 million.

The bulk of this amount is for the projected investment in the Abra hydro project, which would need $437.5 million to develop.

APC is the power generation and distribution arm of the Aboitiz Group of Cebu, a local conglomerate with interests in transportation, banking, food and manufacturing.