The city of Lamitan in Basilan province is conducting a test run on a locally-funded 5-megawatt land base diesel power plant, promising a stable power supply in an island that has been rocked with frequent brownouts.
Lamitan Vice Mayor Roderick Furigay said Friday that the power plant is currently synchronizing electricity supply with the power barge of the National Power Corporation (Napocor), which entered into a test mode Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“We are a step close to having a reliable energy source,” Furigay said in an interview.
However, Furigay said the Lamitan government-run power plant will be for emergency use only to ensure continuous electricity supply to the residents as well as the business community of the city.
The Basilan Electric Cooperative (Baselco) is the main supplier of electricity in the province, but its capacity is insufficient to provide stable power for the entire area.
“We have to operate our power plant, especially during peak hours. If not, the entire city will experience brownout for long hours daily,” Furigay said.
According to the vice mayor, the city government spent some PHP150 million on the purchase of the lot and construction of the building that houses the 5-megawatt power plant.
Lamitan City is made up of 45 barangays and has a population of 100,150 based on the 2020 census.
Source: Philippines News Agency
