ON August 31, the National Power Corp. (Napocor), the European Union and the World Bank held the turnover ceremony of the four completed rural network solar power plants for four electric cooperatives (ECs) in Samar, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.
(From left) Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Maria Belen Acosta, World Bank Country Coordinator Ndiame Diop, European Union Ambassador Luc Véron, National Power Corp. President and Chief Executive Officer Fernando Martin Roxas, and Department of Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella gather at the turnover ceremony of the four completed rural network solar power plants. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The project is part of the EU’s 66 million euros, or P3.8 billion, grant to the Philippines through the Access to Sustainable Energy Program, a joint undertaking of the EU and the Department of Energy, administered by the World Bank.
With the grant, Napocor implemented the installation of four 1 megawatt peak greenfield solar photovoltaic power plants and linked them with the ECs distribution networks, which have a total cost of 4.6 million euros or P280 million.
The two plants connected to the distribution networks of South Cotabato 2 Electric Cooperative and Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative were switched on at the ceremony, while the remaining two connected networks of Samar 1 and 2 Electric Cooperatives should be switched on by the end of September 2023.
EU said that the investments in solar energy will help make energy consumption in the target locations more environmentally sustainable, diversify energy supply, and ultimately help mitigate climate change.
