Napocor completes Visayas Mindanao solar projects

With EU, World Bank backing

MANILA, Philippines — The National Power Corp. (Napocor) has completed four rural network solar power plants in Visayas and Mindanao in partnership with the European Union (EU) and the World Bank.

Napocor implemented the installation of the four one-megawatt peak greenfield solar photovoltaic power plants for a total cost of  P280 million.

The solar plants were linked with the distribution networks of four electric cooperatives in Samar, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat.

The two plants connected to the distribution networks of South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative and Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative have already been switched on, while the remaining two connected networks of Samar I and II Electric Cooperatives are expected to be switched on by the end of September.

The project is part of the EU’s P3.8-billion grant to the Philippines through the Access to Sustainable Energy Programme, a joint undertaking of the EU and the Department of Energy, administered by the World Bank.

“Napocor is proud to be a partner of the EU and the World Bank in bringing renewable energy to far-flung areas in the country, supporting the government’s endeavors in full electrification and renewable energy scale-up,” Napocor president and CEO Fernando Martin Roxas said.

“This has been a fruitful collaboration. We are grateful to extend our technical expertise and at the same time obtain inspiration in our own pursuit of renewable energy technologies. We look forward to future engagements with our development partners,” Roxas said.

The investments in solar energy is seen helping make energy consumption in the target locations more environmentally sustainable, contribute to diversifying energy supply, and help mitigate climate change.

Luc Véron, European Union Ambassador to the Philippines, said the EU is committed to supporting the Philippines’ thrust to drive the clean energy transition agenda.

“We are very proud to have financed this action that provides sustainable and clean energy solutions to remote communities in Mindanao and Visayas,” Véron said.

“Working on the transition to a greener society and climate change mitigation is a global priority for the European Union, and it will also remain at the center of our cooperation efforts with the Philippines,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ndiame Diop, World Bank country director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, said the project shows the World Bank’s commitment to promoting sustainable energy solutions for inclusive growth in the Philippines.

Diop said the solar power plants set as practical examples and benchmarks for scaling up renewable energy supplies among electric cooperatives.