NABUNTURAN, Compostela Valley (PIA) – The Compostela Valley (ComVal) office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-ComVal) disclosed that the desire of having a 30-megawatt (mW) hydro-electric power plant in the province will soon be realized.

DTI-ComVal Project Manager Nelly L. Esperanza confirmed that Hedcor, Inc. has agreed to construct the hydroelectric power plant along the Agusan River in New Bataan and Maragusan.

Hedcor, Inc. is the leading producer of clean and renewable energy and is the largest developer of run-of-river hydropower in the Philippines.

At the height of the power crisis early this year, the business sector has been demanding for solution to the crisis that crippled businesses in the province.

The Provincial Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED) Council of ComVal even passed a resolution to look into the possibility of a hydropower plant.

DTI-Comval then responded with its vigorous investment promotion campaign to invite big ticket investors to invest in the province, especially from the power generation sector.

In coordination with personnel from the Board of Investments (BoI) and National Economic Research and Business Action Center (NERBAC) Davao, the effort gained the interest of Hedcor, Inc. to look into the prospect of investing in ComVal.

As this developed, Hedcor vice president for Mindanao Development Operation Gregorio Jabonillo has met with the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (Daneco) Board of Directors to formalize the proposed project.

The project is to cost at least P4 billion and expected to employ about 1,000 workers during the construction phase.

During his visit with ComVal Gov. Arturo T. Uy, Jabonillo said that the project will be a run-of-river-type hydropower plant along the Agusan River spanning the villages of Camanlangan, New Bataan, and Tandik, and Cambagang in Maragusan.