By YASMIN PASCUAL-DORMIDO

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is set to fund the construction of more mini-hydropower plants in Negros Occidental to provide electricity to residents in the hinterlands.

Atty. Jose Ma. Valencia, Chief of Staff of Gov. Isidro Zayco, said that one of the mini-hydropower plants will be established in Murcia to power Mambukal Resort.

Valencia said that ADB has committed grants to the governor for the building of hydroelectric power plants in various parts of the province on top of the micro-hydro plants to power small villages.

A micro-hydro has a capacity of 1 to 100 kilowatts while a mini-hydro has a capacity of 101 kilowatts to 10 megawatts.

Valencia believes with more mini-hydro plants on top of major power sources, the province would be able to ease the power shortage.

"The advantage of mini-hydro is that it can be replicated in many areas of the province that our sources of power will no longer be geothermal or our Bago hydro," Valencia said.

Under the Renewable Energy for the Poor in Negros Occidental (RENEW Negros), the ADB and the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction has funded various projects to address water and electricity problems in the province.

This included three micro-hydro power plants with an aggregate output of 85 kW to energize the homes of 270 families as well as rice and corn mills to boost livelihood.

Valencia said commissioned Thursday was the micro-hydro project in Balea on Sipaway Island in San Carlos City, and Friday another micro-hydro project that would serve residents of Sitios Vergara and Magtuod in Barangay Bug-ang, Toboso.

The third facility in Sitio Baclao, Barangay Lagaan, Calatrava is expected to be completed in August.

Of the three new projects, two will be set up in Mambukal, Murcia and in Hiyang-Hiyang, Cadiz City. The other site will be identified later according to Valencia.

The project in Mambukal is estimated to cost P9.1 million and is expected to produce about 142 kW of power for the resort and residents of the neighboring areas.