TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Department of Energy (DOE) has approved the Renewable Energy Service Contracts (RESCs) of two proposed minihydro electric projects in this province both located in this city.
These are the 15 megawatt Upper Tabuk Hydro Power Project (UTHPP) in sitio Sabangan, barangay Dupag and the 400 kilowatt Bulo Hydro Power Project (BHPP) in barangay Bulo.
The UTHPP is along the Tanudan River near where it flows into the Chico River while the BHPP will harness a 7.2 meter drop in the main canal of the Upper Chico River Irrigation System (UCRIS).
Engr. Daniel Peckley, Jr., owner of the DPJ Engineers & Consultants (DPJ) which proposed the projects, said that with the approval of the contracts, they can now process all the needed requirements for the project to proceed which include the consent of the affected indigenous cultural communities, environmental compliance certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and water permit from the National Water Resources Board.
Peckley informed that they have already obtained all the necessary requirements for the UTHPP but shelved the project some years back due to stiff opposition.
Meantime, the DPJ developed the 1 megawat Bulanao Hydro Electric Plant (BHEP) in Bulanao which taps a 22-meter drop in the Tabuk Supply Canal 1 of the UCRIS.
Going into operation on February 28, 2016, the BHEP is initially producing .830 megawatt for the Kalinga-Apayao Electric Cooperative (KAELCO) which provides energy to Tabuk City and the towns of Pinukpuk, Tanudan, Tinglayan, Lubuagan, Pasil, Balbalan and Rizal in Kalinga and the towns of Conner, Kabugao and Calanasan in Apayao.
The BHEP is the first hydro power plant in the province which is abundantly endowed with rivers and streams.**By Estanislao Albano, Jr.
