Rule of law

The Agus-Pulangi Hydropower Complex (APHC), consisting of seven hydropower plants, is badly in need of rehabilitation.

- MARY ANN LL. REYES

According to the Department of Energy, only around 600 to 700 MW of capacity is currently operational due to aging infrastructure, representing 60 to 70 percent of the total capacity.

With a combined capacity of approximately 1,000 MW, the Agus and Pulangi power plant complexes supply more than 50 percent of Mindanao's total electricity requirements to electric power consumers.

The Agus power plant complex consists of six cascading power plants snaking from the mouth of Lake Lanao in Marawi City down to the majestic Maria Cristina Falls in Iligan City. Strategically located along the Agus River, these hydroelectric power plants help fuel the economy of Mindanao by providing a steady supply of cheap and reliable electricity, according to the National Power Corp. (NPC).

Meanwhile, the Pulangi IV hydroelectric plant is located in Maramag, Bukidnon.

The government is hoping to rehabilitate all seven run-of-river hydroelectric power plants in the complex to their full capacity.

A World Bank report noted that the APHC has been the backbone of the power generation system in Mindanao for decades. It said most of the APHC plants have been in operation for more than three decades and badly require rehabilitation to extend their operational life, recover capacity and energy output, and enhance the safety of dams and the reliability of supply.

APHC is still owned by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) and operated by the NPC due to the fragility and conflict in Mindanao, it said. It is slated for rehabilitation in the Mindanao Energy Plant 2018-2040.