The rehabilitation of the Agus-Pulangi hydro complex is on track for completion this year, an official from the Mindanao Development Authority said Tuesday.
Romeo Montenegro, MinDa investments promotion director, said the P4.96-billion rehabilitation work on the hydro complex was ongoing.
“Yes, we are that’s why a number or Agus units have been derated due to ongoing rehab, except, however, for the Baloi flood control which will increase Agus 1 and 2 output. It has not been started and is now being reckoned with the eventual construction of Agus 3. Meanwhile, Pulangi goes through just selective dredging,” Montenegro said.
The official said the P4.96-billion budget was the total amount earmarked for the Agus-Pulangi rehab project since 2013.
The government created the Mindanao power monitoring committee to spearhead efforts to address the Mindanao power supply situation.
The committee instituted measures to address the power supply issues of Mindanao, such as the immediate rehabilitation and upgrade of the Agus-Pulangi complex.
The government, meanwhile, allocated P1.72 billion for the Agus 1 and 2 uprating essentially for the flood control project on Balo-i plains to increase the hydro power plants’ combined generating capacity by 30 MW to 40 MW, without flooding the communities in the Balo-i area.
The committee earlier said the Public Works and Highways Department planned to complete the Agus 1 and 2 uprating within the year.
The government also approved P2.6 billion for the Agus 6, Units 1 and 2 uprating, which involves the rehabilitation and replacement of plant components to increase the generation output by 19 MW and extend the plants’ economic life for another 30 years.
Commissioned in 1953, Agus 6 is the oldest plant in operation, already twice the standard economic life of 30 years. Completion of the rehab for Agus 6 Unit 2 is planned in the first quarter, while Unit 1 is set for the second quarter.
The monitoring committee also endorsed to the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. the proposal of National Power Corp. to upgrade Agus 6 Unit 4 at a project cost of P495 million.
It also endorsed Napocor’s proposal to PSALM to allocate P265 million for the Pulangi 4 selective dredging to address siltation problem and increase the generating output.
The government pushed for the rehabilitation of the Agus-Pulangi hydropower projects as early as 2011 to ensure its long-term reliability and increase its power output.