Friday, August 24, 2007

Miraflores Pushes Madalag Hydropower Project

By Boy Ryan Zabal
Aklan Rep. Florencio Miraflores is optimistic that the House Bill establishing Timbaban hydropower development project within the Aklan River Watershed Forest Reserve in the town of Madalag will be enacted into law.
"The Timbaban hydropower plant will benefit local communities of Madalag through livelihood and electrification projects," Miraflores stressed.
In the 13th Congress, House Bill No. 5130 was approved by the Committee on Natural Resources, however, the Senate failed to enact the proposal due to lack of time.
Miraflores said, the new House Bill No. 884 was referred to the Committee on Energy of the 14th Congress, chaired by Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo.
If enacted into law, the Timbaban area in Brgy. Maria Cristina, Madalag, Aklan is exempted from the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).
With Western Japan Energy Consultants, Inc. (Wesjec) tapped to develop its hydroelectric services, the Timbaban hydroelectric has a potential of 29MW.
The state-owned National Power Corporation (Napocor) in Iloilo and the independent power producer Mirant Global that has two diesel-fired power plants in Aklan provide electricity to Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco), the sole power distributor in Aklan and the northern towns of Antique.Aside from Madalag, the town of Libacao is also developing a $420 million hydropower project with the California Energy International (Cal En).
"The investments in power generation are crucial in Aklan and the entire Panay Island because of the increase in demand for electricity, including the island of Boracay," Miraflores added.
The government has urged the power generation investors for energy infrastructure projects to solve power crisis and to enhance its benefits in the local communities. /MP

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