QUICK READ: EDC will continue providing temporary power from its geothermal power plants until the grid lines have been restored.
Lopez-led geothermal leader Energy Development Corporation (EDC) has begun providing 20 to 40 megawatts (MW) of temporary power and food assistance to Albay and Sorsogon as part of its aid to the Bicol region that was devastated by Super Typhoon Rolly on November 1.
With full support from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), EDC’s Bacon-Manito geothermal power plant worked with Sorsogon I Electric Cooperative, Inc.(SORECO 1), Sorsogon II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SORECO 2), Albay Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ALECO), and some of the larger commercial establishments in the two provinces to serve their power needs even if it currently has no power supply agreements with them.
“We express our deepest gratitude to NGCP for making it possible for us to energize our two host areas that have about 400,000 households and a population of about two million,” said Engr. Liberato S. Virata, senior vice president and head of EDC’s Facilities O&M Group.
The two provinces have been in the dark since the start of November due to damaged power facilities caused by Super Typhoon Rolly.
EDC is likewise providing over 2,300 sacks of rice to both provinces as well as in Catanduanes and in Camarines Sur. It is also distributing food packs and bread to severely affected families in Guinobatan, Albay in partnership with the Lopez Group Foundation, Inc.
“Through this initiative, we hope to help our local communities recover from the damages caused by Super Typhoon Rolly and from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” added Virata.
He likewise emphasized that this gesture is part of EDC and the Lopez group’s new mission of forging collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future.
“Being regenerative means uplifting our stakeholders and the environment beyond compliance, especially in times of crisis,” Virata explained. “We all need to work together to help Bicol rise up again.”
EDC BacMan’s temporary power to Albay and Sorsogon will go back to its normal setup and operations once the NGCP grid line from Naga to Daraga has been restored and power is once again supplied from the grid.
EDC, with its subsidiary BGI, operates the 140-MW Bacon-Manito geothermal power plant that straddles Manito, Albay and Bacon, Sorsogon and supplies clean and reliable power to the Luzon grid and to retail electricity customers. Its over 1,200MW installed geothermal capacity accounts for over 62% of the country’s total geothermal capacity.
The Energy Development Corporation (EDC) is a pioneer in generating 100% clean, renewable, and reliable power as an electricity supplier in the Philippines for over 40 years. With power plants all over Visayas and Mindanao, the company is one of the biggest producers of geothermal energy in Asia and is expanding its reach in the international market, allowing it to offer customers affordable energy rates. EDC also strives to provide the best customer service it can to all its clients by having helpful salespeople and easy to understand contracts. Because of all of this, it is poised to become the premier supplier of electricity for the Philippines’ Green Energy Option Program. EDC takes its mission as a renewable energy provider seriously and goes beyond sustainability by investing in programs that enhance the environment and empower its partner communities, thereby fostering regenerative development. The company has also been working toward being carbon-neutral by improving its energy efficiency, as well as implementing various greening projects to ensure that its mission to provide future generations with a better life remains intact.
