Another wind farm seen source of 81MW of power

PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte—A wind farm, which can generate 81 megawatts (MW) of electricity, will soon rise in the village of Caparispisan in this town to further boost Ilocos Norte province’s reputation as the wind energy capital of the country.

The hills of Caparispisan facing the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) will host at least 32 wind turbines that will be built by the Northern Luzon UPC Asia Corp., AC Energy of  Ayala Corp. and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure (Pinai), a fund that is partly financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The ADB, in its website, said Pinai is managed by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets. It is financed by ADB, the Philippines’ Government Service Insurance System, Dutch pension fund asset manager APG, and the Macquarie Group.

The ADB said Pinai, which owns 32 percent of the project, is investing up to $85 million in the wind farm. Project proponents said the wind farm has a total cost of $255 million.

In Caparispisan, where the wind farm will operate, most residents rely on fishing and rain-fed farming, village chair Lovella Garvida said.

She said the wind farm in Sitio Ayoyo, which is expected to operate by September next year, is a welcome development as they expect more jobs and livelihood.

Garvida said project proponents have started hiring laborers and skilled workers from her village to expand roads leading to the project site. Leilanie Adriano, Inquirer Northern Luzon