Some 12,000 households mostly in far-flung barangays will finally have electricity in their homes as the P313 million mini-hydro power plant in barangay Ewon, Sevilla was commissioned on Friday. A joint venture project of the Bohol Electric Cooperative-1 (Boheco-1) and the municipality of Sevilla, the mini-hydro targets a maximum output of 2.5 megawatts, enough to light almost all households of Tagbilaran City. Bohol just chalked another first - a mini hydroelectric plant jointly operated by a power cooperative and a local government unit (LGU). At the recent blessing and commissioning of the P325-million BOHECO 1-Sevilla Mini Hydroelectric Plant, Gov. Erico Aumentado said the event was very auspicious and supportive of the provincial power generation agenda. The Bohol I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BOHECO I) distributes power to 26 out of 47 towns in the province.

BOHECO'S ADDED FETE. The Bohol Electric Cooperative (Boheco) inaugurated a new 2.5 mega watts mini-hydro power plant in Sevilla town last Friday. ERC Chair Zenaida Ducut, NEA chief Edita Dueno and DOE Regional Director AntonioLabios lead guests during the inauguration last Friday. Boheco GM Carlos Itable led company officials in the historic event of inaugurating the first mini hydro plant jointly sponsored by a coop and LGU. Foto WILLIE MAESTRADO

The commissioning of the Boheco 1 - Sevilla Mini Hydro Power Plant was attended by no less than four commissioners of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) including its chair Zenaida Ducut, National Electrification Administration (NEA) chief Edita Bueno, Department of Energy (DOE) regional director Antonio Labios and representatives of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) which funded the P264 million loan to complete the project.

Presently, there are two other hydro power plants in the province - the Hanopol hydro plant which generates between 4-5 megawatts and the former Loboc hydro plant now privatized and owned by Sta. Clara Corporation.

Aumentado pledged that the next move for the province is to build another plant utilizing the Wahig River in Inabanga town to further provide sustainable power supply in the barangays.

According to the project's feasibility study, the town of Sevilla stands to earn 15-percent of the expected P20 million annual income of the power generation facility.

The municipality had earmarked P3 million from its yearly P3.7 million development fund as equity to the joint venture project which will also improve water supply to the town.

Boheco-1, which is a recipient of excellence awards such as the Most Outstanding Electric Cooperative Award for low systems losses and collection efficiency, will operate the plant which will be connected to the Boheco-1 Loay substation.

The Czech ambassador to the Philippines Jaroslav Ludva and consul David Kasdova also attended the commissioning of the power plant.

Boheco-1 general manager Carlos Itable said that the Czech Republic supplied the electrical materials of the project.

The BOHECO I-Sevilla Mini Hydro Corp. (BSMHC) is chaired by Engr. Carlos Itable, BOHECO I general manager, with Sevilla Mayor Ceferino Digal as the vice chair.

Artemio Perin is the secretary while Ernesto Calamba is the treasurer. Calamba is also a member of the BOHECO I board of directors.

Members of the board are Engr. Jeremias Boligao and Mario Suyman who are also members of the BOHECO I board of directors.

Engr. Rosalier Dagondon representing DBP and Engr. Virgilio Fortich, BSMHC project manager round up the membership of the BSMHC operating committee board. (With reports from Ric Obedencio)