$47-M Isabela hydro plant for operation

RAMON, Isabela: SN Aboitiz Power- Magat, Inc. ( SNAP- Magat) has finished commissioning its $ 47 million- worth run- of- river hydro plant in Barangay Ambatali here as it gears up for full operation.

Rhoda Santos, SNAP corporate communications manager, said the 8.5-megawatt (MW) Maris Main Canal 1 Hydroelectric Power Plant (Maris Hydro) is expected to go into full commercial operation this November.

Maris Hydro is composed of two units of Kaplan pit type turbines with generator nameplate capacity of 4.25 MW each. Unit 1 was commissioned on October 24 and Unit 2 on November 6.

Santos said construction works on the project took about two years and was made possible with the cooperation of the National Irrigation Administration ( NIA), Department of Energy ( DoE), the host communities and local government units.

Maris Hydro is the first power plant SNAP Group has constructed since it acquired the 380- MW Magat hydroelectric power plant ( Magat Hydro) in 2007 through privatization. Magat Hydro is located in the municipalities of Ramon ( Isabela) and Alfonso Lista ( Ifugao).

“As a run- of- river hydro plant, it utilizes water coming from Magat Hydro that goes into the Maris re-regulating dam located down Main (South) Irrigation Canal,” Santos said.

Joseph Yu, SNAP- Magat president and chief executive officer, said Maris Hydro is very special because it is the first power plant SNAP built from the ground up.

“It is truly a demonstration of excellence and teamwork, and of SNAP’s commitment to help bring positive change in its host communities, the power industry and the country,” Yu said.

During commissioning, Yu said the plant was synchronized with the grid and underwent a series of tests in compliance with requirements of the Philippine Grid Code and that SNAP also cascaded protocols with stakeholders in preparation for its commercial operation.

He added that Maris Hydro continues to undergo performance testing under contractual requirements with its electro-mechanical supplier, and will also be subject to DoE’s vali - laration of the plant’s commercial operation.

SNAP- Magat is a joint venture of SN Power of Norway and AboitizPower.