Angat Dam rehab to start before yearend

NORZAGARAY, Bulacan, Philippines –The rehabilitation of the 46-year-old Angat Dam in Barangay San Mateo here could start before the end of the year.

 The National Power Corp. (Napocor) announced recently that it would turn over the control and operations of the Angat Dam hydroelectric power plant to its new owner, Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-Water), next month.

Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita, president of the state-owned Napocor, said a 30-day notice of termination to employees manning the 218-megawatt Angat power facility has been reissued.

 Apart from the control and operations of the power facility, K-Water will also undertake the rehabilitation of Angat Dam.

Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado said the new dam owners should adopt the study made by the government-commissioned, Europe-based Tonkin and Taylor Co. in rehabilitating the dam.

“It’s long been overdue… the dam is aging... The sooner they start, the better,” Alvarado said.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology had said a 7.2-magnitude earthquake could trigger the dam’s collapse.

Aside from providing electricity, the dam supplies 97 percent of the water needs of Metro Manila and irrigation of farmlands in Bulacan and parts of Pampanga.