Napocor seeks more cloud seeding over Lake Lanao

The National Power Corp. (Napocor) said it has asked the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM) for help in conducting cloud seeding operations over Lake Lanao to boost water elevation.

Low water levels at the lake and dams brought down the capacity of the Agus-Pulangi hydropower stations—worsening outages in parts of Mindanao that is already reeling from lack of power supply. Cloud seeding over the area was done in April to counter the drought.

Napocor said it has sought another round of cloud seeding in Lake Lanao to try to improve the water level.

Recent rains helped replenish the lake’s elevation albeit only a bit, said Napocor vice president for Mindanao Generation Dadelio Corpuz.

BSWM director Silvino Q. Tejada said he has already instructed a team to resume cloud seeding operations there. He said the operation will start this week.

Lake Lanao provides water to the six cascading Agus hydro power plants, which have an aggregate power capacity of 727 megawatts (MW) and thus provide a major power source in the Mindanao region.

“After the DA-BSWM conducted 12 sorties during the first week of this month, rainfall in the Lake Lanao enhanced, gradually elevating its water level. But we see the need to conduct more sorties to at least reach the lake’s normal level of 701.10 meters above sea level (masl),” Napocor said.

Lake Lanao, which has a minimum operating level of 699.15 masl, is currently at 699.27 masl.

It is one of the many water resources in the country used for power generation, which was greatly affected by the summer dry spell.