By Ali Macabalang
COTABATO CITY – Three towns in Tawi-Tawi have been fully energized with the full operation of three power plants, according to the National Power Corporation (Napocor).
(photo from Pixabay)
“We now have considerable power reserves to our power plants in the municipalities of Panglima Sugala (formerly Blimbing), Mapun and Sibutu, hence the extension of its operating hours from 16 hours to 24 hours,” Nestor Flauta, Napocor’s chief for Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) - Mindanao Operations Department, said.
More than 4,000 households will benefit from the 24-hour operations, and it is expected to boost local livelihood, which includes fishing, seaweed farming and agriculture, Flauta said in a statement furnished The Manila Bulletin.
State-owned National Power Corporation (Napocor) launched last week the 24/7 commercial operations of its three power plants in Tawi-Tawi, using its Balimbing and Sibutu Diesel Power Plants, which will receive additional 500 kW and 600 kW generating sets, respectively, this year as part of its capacity augmentation program, Flauta said
Napocor’s other power plants in the province, such as Manuk Mangkaw and West Simunul in Simunul, Tandubanak in Sibutu, Sitangkai, Tandubas and Languyan, have also been included in the 2018 capacity addition program, he said.
Napocor President and CEO Pio J. Benavidez said the capacity addition programs laid down for this year until 2020 will ensure more reliable power supply and eventually provide uninterrupted 24/7 power in the corporation’s service areas in the off-grid islands.
“For our existing power plants, we are targeting to install a total of 58 MW of new capacities this year,” Benavidez said.
Meanwhile, Napocor is also set to grant round the clock power service to around 1,500 households of its Palimbang Diesel Power Plant in Sultan Kudarat next week.