JABONGA, Agusan del Norte – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inaugurated the 24.9-megawatt hydropower plant in Lake Mainit, Jabonga town, Agusan del Norte province, on Wednesday, July 12.
PRESIDENT Marcos (center) leads the inauguration of the the 24.9-megawatt hydropower plant in Lake Mainit, Jabonga town, Agusan del Norte on Wednesday, July 12. (PNA)
The Chief Executive expressed optimism about the implementation of more renewable energy projects in the country to address the challenges hounding the power sector.
Marcos also expressed hope that the private sector would continue to help his administration in realizing its goal of advancing "affordable, reliable, and clean" energy in the country.
"I continue to be hopeful that we will come up with more projects that will make use of renewable resources and contribute to our ongoing efforts in solving our energy problems,” he said.
His visit in Agusan del Norte and Butuan City was the first since he became President.
Marcos said this new hydropower plant will benefit the people and business sector in the Caraga region.
He also said the inauguration of the hydropower plant is an encouragement to potential investors in Agusan del Norte, especially in the power generation and the renewable energy sector.
Marcos said the development of this hydropower site was a defining step towards the goal of securing much-needed power for the people of Agusan del Norte and its neighboring areas by taking advantage of its water sources.
The power plant aims to deliver reliable and accessible electricity to customers of the Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative Inc. (ANECO) and support the ever-growing demand for energy from the residential and commercial sectors in Caraga.
It targets to provide approximately 100,871 MW of clean and affordable energy to about 45,000 households in local communities each year, supporting the Philippines’ economic and social development through a resilient renewable energy solution.
Lake Mainit, the fourth largest lake in the Philippines, is bounded by the provinces of Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte. It is also the deepest lake in the country with an estimated maximum depth of 219 meters.
“We are happy, and this hydropower plant will surely benefit 45,000 households in this province (Agusan del Norte) and even in neighboring areas,” the Chief Executive said.
The project is a joint partnership between the Philippines’ Markham Resources Corp. and Japanese firm J-POWER.
Marcos also graced the inauguration of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo Center in Agusan del Norte where he distributed farm machineries to farmers and farmers group in the province.
In his message, Marcos stressed the importance of the hydropower plant in increasing agriculture production and power generation.
“Let us help each to achieve our goals,” Marcos told the crowd at the jampacked Provincial Capitol Covered Court here.
The President was welcomed by provincial officials led by Gov. Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante and Butuan City officials led by Mayor Ronnie Vicente C. Lagnada.