2 Zambo City villages get power

MANILA, Philippines - Hundreds of residents in two barangays of Zamboanga City cheered as switch-on ceremonies heralded the arrival of electric power in their communities where victims of last September’s siege have been sheltered by the city government since last year. 

Zamboanga Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar led city officials in inaugurating the project during twin events held in Barangays Taluksangay and Tulungatung. They were joined by key executives of the project partners, namely Western Mindanao Power Corp. (WMPC) and San Ramon Power Inc. (SRPI) of the Alsons Power Group, Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco), and officials of the two host barangays.

Barangay Taluksangay is the temporary home of around 240 evacuee families while Tulungatung hosts 576 evacuee households. These families belong to the Badjao, Samal, and Tausug ethnic groups.

Alsons Power supported the project by providing hardware such as distribution transformers and lines, galvanized steel poles and other accessories like circuit meters, and extending the existing supply lines of Zamcelco.

Engineers of Alsons Power subsidiaries SRPI and WMPC also supervised the project’s planning and implementation.

“This particular phase in our involvement in rebuilding the affected areas of Zamboanga City is completed, but of course our presence and participation in the development of Zamboanga City never ends. We are continuously looking for ways to be of assistance to the people of Zamboanga City not only in providing emergency relief such as in today’s event, but also in providing long-term power solutions,” Alsons Power Group vice president for project development Joseph Nocos said.

The WMPC operates a 100-MW diesel-fired power plant in Sangali, Zamboanga City. Power generated by the plant goes directly to the Mindanao grid under the terms of an energy conversion agreement between WMPC and the National Power Corp.

SRPI is in the advanced stages of developing a 105-MW coal-fired power plant in Sitio San Ramon, Talisayan, Zamboanga City.