Wind farm eyed in Ilocos Sur
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Provincial officials urge Lotilla to okay project
By FREDDIE G. LAZAROVIGAN CITY
— Provincial officials have asked Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla to approve a wind farm project in Santa, Ilocos Sur as alternative source of electricity.
Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson said the proposed wind-energy farm will benefit the residents in terms of reduced power rates.
Vice Gov. Deogracias Victor Savellano had earlier authored Resolution 247, series of 2006, requesting Secretary Lotilla to consider the construction of a wind farm in Ilocos Sur.
Savellano said last Tuesday that Santa town has good potentials for a wind farm project because of its year-round strong wind.
"The presence of strong wind Santa town would have a great advantage for the province if the strong wind is converted into electricity. The power rates would be lowered and the project would generate income for the province," Savellano said.
"During the construction of the wind farm in Ilocos Sur, more jobs will be created, and the project would provide the local government unit (LGU) a share in every kilowatthour of delivered energy," he said.
Savellano also said that the project are among the projects mentioned by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in her recent State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) delivered last July.
"In bid to carry out the commitment of President Arroyo as contained in her SONA, five Super Regions have been created to make the country in step with its Asian neighbors, he said.
"One of the Super Regions is Northern Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ) to which Ilocos Sur belongs," the vice governor said.
NLAQ has already jumpstarted its multi-sectoral collaboration in the implementation iof plans and projects mentioned in the President’s SONA, he said.
The No. 2 provincial official also said that 17 major development projects for NLAQ have been identified. These include the Banaoang Pump Irrigation and Salomague Seaport in Ilocos Sur, he said.
Also in the NLAQ development agenda are energy projects, particularly with wind power projects in the provinces of Batanes and Ilocos Norte, which are good sources of energy.
The wind farm project in Ilocos Norte is already operating and has been providing cheap energy to the province.
In June 2005, Governor Singson launched a "hydrogen-power project" in his residence in Baluarte, Vigan City in a bid to ease the impact of continuous increase in oil prices.
Last year, the provincial board passed Resolution No. 062, series of 2005, requesting then Energy Secretary Vincent S. Perez Jr. to approve a proposal for the establishment of wind energy farm in the province.
posted by philpower @ 8:05 AM,
