Gov’t gets 2 bids to revive aging Agus-Pulangi hydro complex

TWO ENERGY COMPANIES have submitted unsolicited proposals to rehabilitate the Agus-Pulangi hydropower complex in Mindanao, a decades-old asset that supplies a significant share of the region’s electricity but is running below capacity, according to the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM).

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“One’s a consortium, one’s not,” PSALM President and Chief Executive Officers Dennis Edward A. Dela Serna told reporters on Tuesday, noting both proponents are established industry players. He did not identify the groups.

The Agus-Pulangi facility consists of seven run-of-river hydro plants with about 1,000 megawatts (MW) in installed capacity, though only 600-700 MW are available because of aging equipment and deferred maintenance.

The government wants the next operator to restore full output and improve reliability in Mindanao’s grid.