THE National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is looking at harnessing the full potential of the Chico River Irrigation Project through solar power.
In a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, NIA Administrator Eduardo Guillen said the plan will allow excess capacity to be sold to the grid.
Guillen said the scheme is in line with the vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
He said available electricity supply in the area could not power all of the project’s six pumping stations. In fact, only one of the pumping stations could be powered by the local electricity supply, he explained.
“So, ang ginagawa po namin ngayon, itong susunod po na funding – nakita ko po iyon – lalagyan namin ng solar panels para tayo na ho ang mag-produce ng kuryente na gagamitin,” Guillen added.
According to Guillen, the electricity to be generated by solar power will be used by the irrigation system for only four to five months, not for the entire year. This will enable operators to sell excess power to the grid.
“So, iyon po ‘yung pinag-aaralan po natin, hopefully by next year ma-attain natin iyong full potential noong Chico River (Irrigation Project),” he said.
During the inauguration of the Cabaruan Solar-Powered Pump Irrigation Project in Isabela last month, President Marcos said its project proponents could generate additional income by selling to the grid the excess power being produced by the facility.
The Cabaruan SPIP, the biggest solar-powered pump irrigation project in the Philippines, is expected to irrigate 350 hectares of rice field, benefitting almost 237 palay farmers.
The President reported that 82 solar-powered pump irrigation projects have been operational in the country since last year, promising to put up more of such facilities in the coming months and years to improve the country’s irrigation system. |
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