Maguindanao power grid to get Spanish aid

MANILA  -The National Electrification Administration (NEA) on Friday said it would team up with the Spanish Embassy in the Philippines to develop an electrical grid for Maguindanao del Sur in a bid to improve the province’s power distribution system and drive economic growth in Mindanao.

According to the NEA, the Spanish Embassy is set to conduct a feasibility study to jumpstart the project, while Maguindanao Electric Cooperative Inc. (Magelco) will provide requirements needed “to achieve good results.”

These were among the main discussions during a closed-door meeting between NEA officials and Spanish Ambassador Miguel Utray Delgado held earlier this month, the agency said.

Delgado disclosed that they were exploring the possibility of installing solar power plants to generate additional renewable energy in the province. He added that two Spanish energy companies—Elecnor and Acciona—were already involved in discussions for this project.

“We have a very good cooperation with electrical authorities in the Philippines, and what we want to do is a master plan for the distribution of electricity in Maguindanao del Sur,” Delgado said.

NEA data show that as of September this year, Magelco has so far connected only 32.84 percent of 173,023 potential household connections in Maguindanao. This is equivalent to 56,823 connections.

Floyd Erik Bautista, NEA management assistant for Magelco operations, explained that the Spanish Embassy could help resolve power supply issues and technical deficiencies in the electric cooperative’s distribution system.