Experts due next week to discuss Capul Island tidal power plant project
TACLOBAN CITY – The plan to develop an ocean power project on Capul Island at the San Bernardino Strait in Northern Samar gained momentum with foreign experts on tidal energy arriving next week to conduct an assessment on the progress of the project that seeks to energize the whole-island municipality.

NORTHERN Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan (center) listens as EPHI executives duscuss a tidal power project in the province. (PGNS FB)
These foreign experts along with Energies Ph Inc. are scheduled to visit Capul for a progress assessment from March 18 to 22.
Jan Allen Berbon, head of the Provincial Economic and Development Investment Promotion Office, said the tidal energy plant will be constructed in Capul by EPHI through its affiliate, San Bernardino Ocean Power Corp.
The area known for strong ocean currents was seen as a viable source of tidal energy, a more reliable, sustainable, and cost-competitive alternative to power generation.
Gov. Edwin Ongchuan recently met EPHI executives to discuss the progress of the first tidal power project in Southeast Asia.
EPHI President Antonio Ver disclosed that the Department of Energy recently confirmed the commercial viability of the project highlighting the integration of solar and tidal energy sources into a comprehensive energy plan.
Research from the EPHI in 2022 has shown that Capul experienced a peak electricity demand of 427 kW, while its power supply relies on a dependable capacity of 480 kW generated by four diesel generators operated by the National Power Corp.-Small Power Utilities Group (NPC-SPUG).
With this, Capul faced some challenges such as power outages that occurred 35 times in a month from July to August 2019, with a total of 33 outage hours.
EPHI aims to enhance its infrastructure with a target installation capacity of one MW.
With the use of HydroWing tidal stream technology to generate tidal power, it can continuously supply power 24/7.
The design will connect tidal stream turbines to the electrical network of Capul which currently relies on an off-grid 750-kilowatt diesel power plant that operates 16 hours a day.