GEN. SANTOS CITY – A company, dropping its proposed $450-million coal-fired plant amid protests from the Church and residents including People’s champ Manny Pacquiao, is shifting to building mini hydropower plants along two rivers in Sarangani.

Conal Holdings Corp. said in a statement it would build two mini hydro-power plants along the Siguel River on the boundary of Maasim and this city, and on the Kalaong River in Maitum, also in Sarangani. Joseph Nocos, Conal Holdings vice president, said the company was finalizing the feasibility study of the 17-MW for a three-tiered hydro-power plant along Siguel River.

The river borders this city and Maasim town where Conal Holdings planned to build the unpopular $450 million coal power plant project.

The firm said it shifted to hydroelectricity development in response to popular clamor for the use of renewable sources in power generation.