Naga to use solar power, a first among Cebu LGUs

The City Government of Naga, Cebu will soon start depending on solar energy for some of its power needs.

City of Naga Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong and officials of the Philippine National Oil Company Renewable Corp. (PNOC-RC) officially switched on the city’s 100kwh solar rooftop program.

Joining Chiong during the ceremonial switching on yesterday were PNOC-RC president and executive director John Arenas and Cebu Rep. Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas (Cebu Province, 1st).

The City Government worked with PNOC-RC last year for the installation of solar panels on City Hall’s rooftop and installed energy-friendly light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs in their offices.

But with City Hall still renovating this year, the 100-kilowatt solar rooftop, composed of 312 panels, was installed on the rooftop of Enan Chiong Activity Center (ECAC). ECAC is located behind the Naga City Hall.

Chiong, in an interview, said the solar panels will last up to 25 years.

City Hall consumes around 300 kws of power on a daily basis, and the solar panels will cover around 100 kws of their daily consumption, Chiong said. The rest will come from the Visayan Electric Company.

Aside from providing the solar panels and LED lights, the PNOC-RC also committed to maintain what they gave to the City of Naga for 15 years.

Through the venture, the City Government of Naga is the first local government unit in Cebu that will be partly dependent on solar energy.