SN Aboitiz bags certification for hydropower management

MANILA, Philippines — SN Aboitiz Power Group (SNAP), the joint venture of SN Power of Norway and Aboitiz Power Corp., has bagged certification for its management process in operating its hydropower facilities.

Two hydropower projects of SN Aboitiz Power-Magat Inc., the 380-megawatt (MW) Magat hydroelectric power plant and 8.5-MW Maris run-of-river hydro, received ISO certifications for Asset Management (ISO 55001:2014).

The certification shows SNAP has put in place a systematic process for the maintenance, upgrade and operation of its physical assets in order to reduce risks for assets, improve overall efficiency, and streamline operations.

“With this recognition for its asset management practices, customers and communities in the areas covered by SNAP-Magat are guaranteed that the company meets global standards in renewable energy production and plant protocols,” it said.

Meanwhile, SNAP-Magat also received revalidation for its Quality Management (ISO 9001:2015) and Environment Management (ISO 14001:2015) systems, and successfully migrated to the Occupational Safety and Health Management (ISO 45001:2018) standard.

“This confirms that SNAP-Magat’s management systems meet stringent, international standards,” it said.

Last December, SNAP-Magat entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in support of integrated watershed management in four municipalities in the Ifugao Province, namely, Banaue, Hingyon, Mayoyao and Lagawe.

Through the Partnerships in Uplifting Upland Natural Resources, Livelihoods and Assets (PUNLA) program, SNAP-Magat is set to support watershed management projects in these municipalities toward the protection and restoration of the Upper Magat Watershed.

It will extend financial assistance to projects that focus on the recommendations of the Upper Magat Watershed Management Study, and are harmonized with local resource management plans, one of which is the Ifugao Rice Terraces Master Plan (IRTMP).

Apart from the hydropower plants, SNAP is exploring the development of floating solar panels in the dam reservoirs it manages initially with a 200-kilowatt (kw) plant in Magat.

SNAP-Magat is a joint venture between SN Power of Norway and AboitizPower and is part of SNAP Group, a leading provider and developer of renewable energy in the Philippines.

Apart from the Magat facilities, the SN Power and AboitizPower joint venture owns and operates the 105-MW Ambuklao hydro and the 140-MW Binga hydro in the province of Benguet.