Mindanao exec appeals for solar power farms

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr. is urging the national government to initiate the installation of solar farms in Mindanao to fix the island’s continuing power outages.

“We urge the national government to take advantage of the short gestation of solar power technology as businesses in Mindanao are stagnating due to unstable supply of power,” Amante said in a statement.

Amante, who turned the city’s finances from P23-million deficit when he took over, to P220 million in the bank as of end of July, said, “We may be losing our gains unless the stability of electricity is restored. Tourists and investors are not coming to Mindanao because of persistent power shortages.”

Inadequate power supply has been causing recurring blackouts in almost all provinces in Mindanao, especially in the Caraga region, Iligan, Cotabato and Davao. 

Reports are rife that power reserve levels remain low at only 100 megawatts (MW) during peak hours.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines implemented this month a grid-wide power load reduction in Mindanao due to insufficient generation from power plants.

According to the reports, approximately 92 to 150 MW has been withdrawn from the grid as a result of the forced outages of generating facilities.

Mindanao’s power generating capacity is heavily reliant on weather and water supply as about 50 percent of the electricity generated is sourced from hydroelectric power plants.

Meanwhile, Philippine Solar Power Alliance president Dennis Ibarra said 40 local and international solar companies have filed project applications for about 400 MW to deal with power shortages in the country, particularly in Mindanao.

Ibarra said solar is the only source of energy that can be deployed quickly as a 10-MW solar power plant can be installed and commissioned in six months or less compared to multi-year construction phases of other renewable energy plants.