Dingle plant operator to source power from Negros
Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. said yesterday the province can get a respite from long brownouts in the coming days with the expected power supply agreement between the Salcon Island Power Corp., operator of the Panay Diesel Power Plant in Dingle, Iloilo, and a Negros-based power generating company.
Defensor Sr. had initial talks with SIPC officials, who informed him that power supply from Green Core Geothermal Inc. based in Negros Oriental would partially solve the power problem of Iloilo province and the rest of Panay Island, a report from the Capitol said.
He, however, refused to give details about the agreement.
“We will disclose the details as soon as the agreement is perfected,” Defensor said. “But definitely once the agreement is realized it will solve the recurrent and rotating brownouts in the city and province of Iloilo.”
Earlier, the Panay Electric Company also said it signed an agreement with Green Core for the supply of additional 10 megawatts of power starting July 1.
Green Core, a subsidiary of First Luzon Geothermal Energy Corp. owned by the Lopez Group’s Energy Development Corp., now operates the Palinpinon plants in Valencia, Negros Oriental.
Meanwhile, an official of the National Power Corp. also apprised the governor of the power situation in the Visayas region.
Salvador D. Sarmiento Jr., NPC marketing and commercial relations manager, said the power shortage problem in Panay Island is caused by the constraint affecting the submarine cable.
He said the submarine cable which brings power to the Panay-Guimaras area has already reached its maximum load of 80 megawatts.
“Even if there is excess power from the grid it could no longer be funneled to Panay since the submarine cable could not longer carry it,” Sarmiento said.*
