Napocor to bid out solar-diesel hybrid system for Bohol islands

The National Power Corp. (Napocor) on Thursday said it is set to bid out the contract for the design, supply and installation of two 50-kilowatt solar photovoltaic-diesel hybrid system project for two islands in Bohol province.

The two Bohol islands are Balicasag and Cuaming, the Napocor said in a statement.

It said the National Power Board, chaired by the Department of Finance, approved the terms of reference for the said project.

The project has an approved contract budget of P56 million.

With this, the Napocor said it hopes that a lot of bidders will be interested to participate in the public bidding so as to meet its timeline in commissioning and energizing the project.

Currently, Balicasag and Cuaming, which both have 24/7 power service are being serviced by Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) plants with dependable capacities of 192 kW and 160 kW, respectively.

Both tourist hot spot islands have less than 100 kW peak demand.

“NPC has strengthened its plans on renewable energy development not only for sustainability measures but also to lower down the power rates in off-grid areas,” Napocor president and CEO Pio Benavidez said.

In Napocor's 2020 Missionary Electrification Plan, there are 17 areas programmed for hybridization, eight of which are new areas with solar PV and battery capacities.

Benavidez said that this is also in response to the Department of Energy’s directive on low carbon future. — RSJ, GMA News