Tuesday, June 12, 2012

NIA Plans Mini-hydro Power Plants

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga - The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has identified 32 possible sites for mini-hydro power plants in NIA-managed irrigation systems.

The mini-hydro power plants would serve both energy generation that would help ease the problem on power crisis and irrigation.

NIA did not name the said possible sites, but it said that there are 26 possible areas in Luzon, two in Visayas and four in Mindanao.

These sites will have a total capacity of 15,214 KW.

The idea of putting up mini-hydro power plants in irrigation systems came up after NIA Administrator Antonio S. Nangel visited Japan, where he saw mini-hydro power plants installed in irrigation canals.

"If it can be done in Japan, it can also be done in the Philippines where the same elevation of irrigation canals abounds," he said.

Nangel earlier issued Memorandum Circular No. 55 S 2011, to all Regional and Operations Managers of NIA to identify possible sites for mini-hydro power plants in irrigation canals and systems, providing therein the guidelines and criteria