Angat hydro plant attracts 6 bidders

The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) expects at least six bidders to show up at the auction for the 246-megawatt (MW) Angat hydroelectric power plant in Norzagaray, Bulacan on April 28. "Six (groups) are in the running," PSALM Vice-President for asset management and electricity trading Conrad Tolentino said on Thursday. He said at least 12 parties had participated in the pre-bid conference, but some have come together, while some may have lost interest. Among the interested parties are Trans-Asia Oil and the Energy Development Corp.; San Miguel Corp.; Aboitiz Power Corp. and partner SN Power of Norway; the consortium of First Gen Corp.; the Ayala Group and Metro Pacific Corp.; and DMCI Power Corp. The PSALM official said they recognize the "unique challenges" posed by the Angat hydroelectric power plant to the bidders, considering that it is multi-purpose and the state is selling only the power component. But he expressed confidence that this concern will be addressed accordingly amid the power crisis. "Nevertheless, the current power situation shows how important a hydro power plant can be, so we hope the bidders will submit good offers for the Angat power plant," he added. The Angat plant, located in San Lorenzo, Norzagaray in Bulacan province, started commercial operations on July 1967. The hydroelectric facility operates through the Angat Dam, which supplies water to Metro Manila, Bulacan and neighboring provinces. PSALM, the agency tasked to privatize state power assets, earlier discussed with prospective bidders a draft protocol for the use and release of water from the dam. It presented the protocol to the bidders, with representatives from the National Power Corp. (Napocor), National Water Resources Board (NWRB), National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and Metropolitan Waterworks & Sewerage System (MWSS) as resource persons. These agencies, along with the PSALM and the buyer of the Angat facility, will be signing the protocol. The government has been criticized for allegedly failing to manage the release of water from the dam late last year, when most of Luzon was flooded by nonstop rains, and critics have blamed the dams for exacerbating the problem. The agency also assured representatives of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, who attended last Tuesday’s forum, that their concerns, particularly those of the Dumagat tribe, would be addressed. It stressed that the dam’s main use for local water supply and irrigation should be prioritized over power generation. — NPA, GMANews.TV