Members of the Samahan ng Pangisdaan sa Lake Lumot (SPLL) expressed their support for the NKS Solar One floating solar project in Lake Caliraya and Lake Lumot in Laguna province.
The SPLL is the largest organization of fisherfolks and fish cage operators in the area which is under the jurisdiction of the National Power Corporation.
“We acknowledge the need for additional energy supply especially from renewable sources. We also believe that NKS Solar One will bring additional benefits to our communities including jobs, revenues to local government, and other community programs.” said Nicky Oliveros, president of SPLL.
NKS Solar One, in partnership with the local government units and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) conducted trainings for fisherfolk organizations as part of its corporate social responsibility program.
“We look at fisherfolks not as mere beneficiaries, but actual partners in development. As future neighbours within the lakes, we look forward to having a harmonious relationship not just with them, but all stakeholders of the lakes,” said NKS Solar One president Andre Pablo Fausto III.
NKS Solar One, a joint venture between Blueleaf Energy Philippines and NKS Energy Utilities, was awarded a certificate of energy projects of national significance (CEPNS) by the Department of Energy under Executive Order 30.
The 250-MWp floating solar project, set to be located at Caliraya and Lumot Lakes in Laguna, is anticipated to be the first utility-scale floating solar project in the Philippines.
NKS Solar One is one of the winners in the DOE’s Green Energy Auction Program 2. Construction is scheduled to start in late 2024, with an anticipated completion date in 2026. The project also received green lane status from the Philippine Board of Investments in April 2023.
Blueleaf Energy Philippines is a specialist onshore renewable energy business that develops and operates utility-scale solar projects. It is a portfolio company of Macquarie Capital, operating on a stand-alone basis.