MWSS: Angat power plant repair done in 45 days

MANILA, Philippines — The operator of the Angat hydro power plant is targeting to finish the rehabilitation of the reservoir within 45 days, or 16 days earlier than the scheduled shutdown of 61 days.

In a radio interview yesterday, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System division manager Patrick Dizon assured the public that the government will not spend a single centavo for the dam’s repair.

“The private operator, Angat Hyro Corp., will finance the rehabilitation of the dam,” Dizon said.

The repair of Angat Dam will start on Nov. 6 and is expected to be finished on Jan. 6, 2024.

“Actually, we are aiming to cut the duration of the shutdown to 45 days,” Dizon said.

“The rehabilitation will be done along with the assessment, in case there is leakage of the facility. We expect to finish it before the 61-day projected shutdown,” he added.

According to Dizon, the National Water Resources Board has allocated water supply of 50 cubic meters per second for Maynilad and Manila Water, higher than the normal 48 CMS previously granted by the NWRB.

“We assure the public of normal water distribution,” he said.

Dizon has said that it would be the first time that the 56-year-old hydro power plant will be repaired since it was constructed in 1967.

Maynilad vice president Ronald Padua said the operator of the reservoir would shut down the main inner structure of the dam. The low-level outlet and the spillway will remain open to provide water supply to the Ipo Dam.

Maynilad said the hydro power plant’s shutdown would not affect the water supply for its nine million customers.

Manila Water also assured its 7.4 million customers of uninterrupted water supply.