Transco President Alan Ortiz said the company will prioritize the expansion of the area’s major transmission lines such as the upgraded Tacurong-Klinan 138 kilovolt transmission line and the Mindanao backbone transmission project – the Abaga-Kirahon-Maramag-Bunawan 230 kilovolt transmission line.
Ortiz launched here last week at least five major transmission support projects that mainly serve the city’s industrial and economic zones.
Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. said the completion of the projects was very vital for the city, which accounts for the bulk of power consumed by the Southwestern Mindanao area.
He said the peak demand of the city’s industries, notably the six tuna canneries and other manufacturing plants, is at least 80 megawatts (MW).
Transco earlier reported that Southeastern and Southwestern Mindanao’s peak demand reaches at least 495 MW but their aggregate power generation capacity stands only at 262 MW. The deficit is being supplied by power plants in northern Mindanao.
The state-owned firm stressed that the power requirements in the cities of General Santos and Davao grows at a rate of 25 MW annually.
Acharon challenged Transco to continually expand the supply of power that it has been transmitting to the area. “This available power could be transported to Southwestern Mindanao through the construction of additional transmission lines,” he said.
Southwestern Mindanao comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
Ortiz acknowledged the mayor’s concerns but assured that Transco “is committed to execute its mandate to continually bring reliable and steady power supply to Southwestern Mindanao.”
To complement this, Ortiz promised to invite some foreign investors to put up their businesses in the area.
He said several Korean shipbuilders have been relocating their businesses in the Philippines and one company has already built a plant in Subic.
Ortiz said four more companies are still looking for areas to build their plants and the city appears to be a viable site.(Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)