Aboitiz Power Corp. will triple the combined capacity of its Bineng hydro power plant facilities to 19 megawatts by 2019 after receiving the approval of the municipal council of La Trinidad, Benguet.
Aboitiz Power unit Bineng combined hydropower project is developing the project that will increase the capacity of the three Bineng plants from the current 5.48 MW to 19 MW.
Hedcor and the local government unit of La Trinidad signed on June 27 an agreement to cover the project and the benefits for the locality.
Hedcor has sustained its growth momentum since its entry in Benguet in 1986. Starting from the rehabilitation of four hydroelectric power plants owned by the City of Baguio, the company later constructed its own generation facilities in the municipalities of La Trinidad, Sablan, Tuba, Bakun and Itogon.
“We are positive that this development will have great impact on the municipality’s growth. The local government will play an active role in making this project a success,” La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda said.
The La Trinidad local government unit received about P77 million as its barangay and municipal share from the operation of the hydropower plants last year.
Moreover, Hedcor’s business tax, real property tax, and national wealth tax in 2016 reached P67 million.
The municipality of La Trinidad has also received corporate social responsibility projects worth P13 million, to date. These projects include farm-to-market roads, school buildings, and loans to cooperatives involved in the cut flower business.
Barangay Bineng started cut flower production in early 1990s when it had steady access to electric power, which is needed for the greenhouses. Today, Bineng is one of the largest producer of cut flowers in Benguet.