Irrigation canal in Isabela generates 45-KW electricity
SAN MATEO, Isabela — The National Irrigation Administration-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MARIIS) here announced over the weekend operation of a 45-kilowatt mini-hydropower plant in this agricultural town.
Implemented by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through the Department of Energy ( DOE), the mini- hydropower plant straddles Lateral B of the MARIIS main canal traversing Barangay Villafuerte in this town.
“We don’t tap water just for irrigation, we also run mini hydro-electric plants that could generate power to maximize our resources in serving both our farmers and people in the countryside,” said NIA Administrator Florencio Padernal during the recent inauguration of the power plant.
Padernal spoke in view of the fact that the MARIIS irrigated 81,000 hectares of rice lands with an estimated return of 8.3 billion from the rice harvests last cropping season in this province and the rest of the Cagayan Valley Region.
Joining him in launching the minihydropower plant’s operations were DOE Undersecretary Zenaida Monsada and JICA Senior Representative Eigo Azukizawa.
The NIA chief expressed satisfaction that the project, which started construction last March, had been completed in October and is now operational.
“NIA would like to replicate this project in other areas. That’s precisely the reason why all of our irrigation managers from the different parts of the country are now here,” Padernal said at the inauguration ceremonies.
NIA-MARIIS Operations Manager Mariano Dancel said the mini-hydropower plant is the first of its kind in the country and sees the feasibility of utilizing existing irrigation canals in other areas for power generation.
“While we drive water to irrigate our farms, the 45-kilowatt capacity minihydropower plant could be replicated nationwide to answer the projected power crisis next year,” Dancel said.