Antique provincial board creates body to focus on renewable energy

The provincial board of Antique approved the creation of an Energy Council that will craft an ordinance for developing renewable energy resources in the province.

Board Member Pio Jessielio Sumande, chairperson of the committee on environment and natural resources, sponsored the resolution for its creation, citing the need for Antique to identify resources that can provide renewable energy for long-term utilization following the power interruption that affected Panay, including this province on Jan. 2-5.

“At present, we have the extraction of the thermal coal at Semirara, Caluya by the Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, the Villasiga Hydro Power Plant producing eight megawatts in Bugasong, ” he said during the regular session of the Provincial Board on Monday.

Other untapped natural resources, particularly for hydropower, are the waterfalls in Culasi, Valderrama, and San Remigio towns.

Board Members Emmanuel Palacios Jr., Dante Beriong, and Sumande will compose the council, but they have yet to decide on the chairperson.

“Since the development of renewable energy would be expensive, we might be looking into a private-public partnership for the conduct of the feasibility study and for investors to prioritize the power requirement of the province to ensure sustainable supply,” Sumande said.

He said Chinese and Korean firms had already approached the provincial government for possible investment in hydropower and solar energy. (PNA)