Officials attend the ceremonial project launching of the Dagohoy Solar Power Project by PetroGreenEnergy Corporation in Barangay San Vicente in Dagohoy town, Bohol on Tuesday, September 27, 2022. (Photo courtesy of Dave Charles Responte)
TAGBILARAN CITY — An energy company that aims to provide reliable and sustainable energy solutions broke ground on Tuesday (September 27) for the 27-megawatt (MW) solar farm in Dagohoy town, the first in the province of Bohol.
The project made by PetroGreen Energy Corp (PGEC) will soon rise on a 22-hectare site in Barangay San Vicente, about 73 kilometers from the province’s capital.
Tuesday’s ceremonial project launch was attended by Bohol Gov. Aris Aumentado, PGEC vice president and chief operating officer Francisco Delfin, Jr., PGEC president Milagros Reyes, PGEC assistant VP for Operations Maria Victoria Olivar, Dagohoy Mayor Germinio Relampagos, Vice Mayor Roel Lagroma, and San Vicente Barangay Captain Renato Saguing.
Delfin stressed the advantages of the solar panels such as stability of power supply, promotion of renewable energy, economic development, and job opportunities.
“We did not make a mistake in choosing Bohol, particularly Dagohoy. Perhaps it was destiny that made it happen here,” Delfin said.
According to Aumentado, the solar project was a welcome addition to the efforts of the provincial government of Bohol in bringing light to the Boholano people.
“We consider power as one of the ‘pillars of development’ of this administration, so we take great strides in ensuring that we can offer prospective investors enough amount of energy to sustain their operations and ensure that each Boholano can enjoy the benefits of electricity in each home, schools, commercial establishments, and recreation areas,” Aumentado said in his speech.
He said the PGCE’s project was aligned with the province’s vision of a “Green Bohol,” in which progress and environmental sustainability go hand in hand.
“We believe that development can be achieved without sacrificing the delicate balance that we have with nature,” Aumentado said.
Bohol promotes itself as a prime eco-tourist destination in the country.
Relampagos said the project will give stable power supply and employment opportunities for residents in Dagohoy town.
The construction of the billion solar power plant will be done immediately. It is expected to be operational in 2024.
Bohol now has a capacity of 47% or 28 MW at peak demand. It is expected to increase to a total of 113 MW by 2043.
Bohol gets its power source in Leyte province. When the province was ravaged by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in 2013 and super typhoons Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) and Odette (Rai), several times the province was plunged into darkness.
Recently, Odette toppled transmission towers that connected Bohol to the main Visayas grid resulting in a month-long, province-wide power outage.
The economic implications of such unfortunate events immediately moved the provincial government to take decisive actions, including the formulation of a long-term energy plan that will address the supply of electricity in the province.