Hydrotec readies investment in 9 mini-hydro projects

Hydrotec Renewables Inc., a member company of the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, plans to invest in nine mini-hydropower projects that can generate a combined 28 megawatts.

Data from the Department of Energy (DoE) showed that Hydrotec Renewables has nine pending applications for renewable energy service contracts, which will allow the company to pursue the feasibility study for the proposed hydropower projects.

In Ramon, Isabela, Hydrotec Renewables is looking at the possibility of putting up the 7.39-MW Baligatan 3 hydropower facility.

Then in Marikina, the company plans to put up the 1.08-MW Nangka 4 River and the 2.59-MW Marikina 4 River mini-hydropower projects.

Hydrotec Renewables is also eyeing six mini-hydropower projects in three areas in Rizal, namely the 2.24-MW Hinulugang River and 1.85-MW Nangka 1 River hydropower plants, both in Antipolo; the 1.89-MW Marikina 1 River, 6.87-MW Marikina Upper 2 River, and 1.85-MW Montalban 2 River hydropower projects, all in Rodriguez; and the 2.46-MW Marikina 3 River power facility, in San Mateo.

Currently, hydro resources generate 3,400 MW, of which 2,346 MW are generated in Luzon, 13 MW in Visayas and 1,040 MW in Mindanao, according to data from the DoE.

The DoE is targeting between 2011 and 2030 to increase the generation capacity from hydropower facilities by another 5,358.30 MW.

The 304 potential projects proposed before the government by various developers and government agencies will require a total investment of P654.98 billion.

Luzon currently hosts 186 sites, or more than half of the total number of potential hydropower sites, which could generate an additional 3,701.7 MW.

To generate this capacity, the private sector needs to invest a total of P474.22 billion.