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| Vol. XX No. 43 |
January 03, 2001 |
Virac, Catanduanes |
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The Catanduanes Tribune Rawis, Virac Catanduanes, Philippines - 5001 Tel. No.: (052) 811-1267 or 811-2640 Fax No.: (052) 811-1267 E-mail:
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Publisher-Editor Edwin A. Gianan |
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Advertising- Circulation Manager Simeon G. Cueno |
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Web Master: Calgary, Canada |
Headline News
Prospects
dim
for San
Miguel hydro project
Efforts
for the development of the proposed Kapipian mini-hydroelectric project in
San Miguel town faces difficulty at the provincial government even with
the signing of a consultancy contract.
An
official source told the Tribune that the project is facing a roadblock
but refused to divulge the exact reason. One possible kink advanced
pertains to who will handle the project after completion, since the
provincial government is barred from competing with existing power firms
in the island.
Last
December 12, 2000, Gov. Hector S. Sanchez and Vergel 3 Consult manager
Manuel Vergel III signed the Contract of Agreement covering the conduct of
a feasibility study of the project. The governor inked the document after
the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, through Resolution No. 2000-154 passed in
its disputed Nov. 27, 2000 session, endorsed the Kapipian mini-hydro
project and authorized Sanchez to negotiate with the Development Bank of
the Philippines for a loan and to engage the services of Vergel 3 Consult.
Recently,
a representative of consulting firm, which had been requested earlier by
the provincial government to conduct an assessment of potential mini-hydro
sites in the island, arrived to secure documents needed for the processing
of the P1-million DBP loan.
The
loan is intended to complement a similar amount to be put up by the
province for the preparation of a comprehensive feasibility study to be
undertaken by Vergel 3 Consult.
Under
the proposed P2-million Contract of Agreement, the consulting firm will do
the study and allied services for the project in barangay Paraiso, San
Miguel following the guidelines of the Department of Energy (DOE). The
study will include a topographic survey, geologic investigation,
hydrologic investigation and analysis, hydraulic study, power market
study, scheme design of plant facilities, cost estimates, and financial
and economic viability study.
The
contract also covers the provision of other requirements such as the
Non-Exclusive Reconnaissance Permit (NERP) from the DOE, environmental
compliance studies to suit DENR requirements, acquisition of water rights
from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB),and mini-hydro operating
contract from DOE. The consultant will also assist the provincial
government in securing funding from the DBP.
In
January last year, the consultant conducted a four-day assessment of
potential hydropower sites in Catanduanes - Dugui in Virac, Hitoma river
in Caramoran, Solong river and Kapipian river in San Miguel.
The
Dugui site is already being worked on by a French group through a
Memorandum of Understanding while another group has expressed interest in
the Hitoma site on a build-operate-own (BOO) scheme.
The
findings also revealed that the Solong site is not too attractive due to a
relatively low river discharge while the Kapipian site has an installed
power potential of about 2 megawatts, slightly greater than that generated
by the existing Balongbong mini-hydro plant. A comparison also showed that
the Kapipian site is potentially a better one than the Dugui and Hitoma
sites based on secondary data.
