Amid difficult financial strait, state-run National Power Corporation (NPC) is moving ahead with plans to energize at least six barangays off Batag island in Laoang, Northern Samar.

The project is expected to reap benefits for remote barangays of Cabadiangan, Marubay, Candawid, Pangdan, Napotiocan and Tan-Awan in said island.

The energization initiative will be underpinned by two diesel generating sets to be sited in Barangay Marubay. The facilities to be completed October 2010 will command total investment of P5.7 million.

According to NPC-Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) vice president Melburgo S. Chiu, the company will now concentrate on performing its mandate to electricity off-grid and far-flung areas, as most of the power firm’s assets in Luzon and Visayas have already been transferred to private ownership.

Nevertheless, the state-owned company is reportedly stripped of cash that NPC president Froilan Tampinco reprised the media once more of the long-planned P15 billion cash infusion to underpin its operations.

Even with its mandate for the SPUG though, it was noted that NPC is still on uphill climb as far as financing is concerned.

Last year, the company’s SPUG operations reportedly incurred a funding shortfall of roughly P5.0 billion; and such can’t still be recovered from customers due to filings that have yet to go through regulatory approvals.

The loan procurement being lined up by NPC, it was noted, will plug financing shortfall lined up for projects as well as to settle some debts falling due.

For the electrification slated in Northern Samar island, this will be at the north-eastern tip of the province, or about 47 kilometers from the capital town of Catarman.