Despite the downsizing of its Northern Negros Geothermal Power Plant in Bago City, Negros Occidental, the Energy Development Corp. remains committed to comply with the environmental conditions set by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental.

The conditions are stipulated in the memorandum of agreement they had signed, and they continue to extend support to its host communities, Dwight Maxino, vice president of the Negros Island Geothermal Business Unit, said.

Maxino said Saturday that EDC has complied with all the environmental requirements imposed on them by the Negros SP.

The EDC has transferred all the NNGP equipment in Bago City, to its Nasulo steamfield in Valencia, Negros Oriental, which it expects to produce 49 megawatts of power.

Last month, the Board of Investments approved the P4.64 billion investment of EDC for the construction of a 49.4 MW Nasulo geothermal power plant, reports said.

Based on their study, the NNGP could produce 6MW, Maxino admitted. He also doused speculations that EDC may again try to enter the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park, in search for more geothermal power.

The 40-megawatt NNGP was shut down in 2011 after steam production in the project site regressed. This prompted EDC to relocate NNGP's electro-mechanical equipment to the Palinpinon 2 geothermal power complex in Negros Oriental, its officials said.

Maxino said EDC is now looking for a contractor to build a modular plant for NNGP in Brgy. Mailum, Bago City.

Noreen Bautista, Community Partnership chief of the NIGBU, said that under EDC’s HELEN (Health-Education-Livelihood-Environment) program, 3,378 families in two NNGP’s host communities in Murcia and Bago City, Negros Occidental, were benefitted, compared to 2,378 families in the Southern Negros Geothermal Plant in Negros Oriental.

The EDC’s “Binhi” program, that was launched in 2009, aims to reforest 1,000 hectares every year for the next 10 years. Its greening program has already reforested some 12,050 hectares in EDC sites.*GPB

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