The National Power Corporation (Napocor) successfully completed the rehabilitation of the Pulangui IV Hydroelectric Power Plant in Bukidnon Tuesday, or nine days ahead of the original target date of May 17, boosting prospects that the tight power supply situation in Mindanao will soon normalize.
Napocor president Froilan A. Tampinco said the repair of the 26-year-old power plant was completed earlier than scheduled due to the concerted efforts of the agency’s operations personnel and Mamasar Construction, the contractor for the rehab project.
“Our plant personnel at Pulangui IV worked 24/7 with our private contractor to bring the power plant back on-line at the earliest time possible, and for this we commend them,” he said.
Official data from Napocor’s Mindanao Generation Group shows that Unit 1 of Pulangui IV was energized at 3:02 p.m. May 8, while Unit 2 went on-line at 5:15 p.m.
The third and final unit was synchronized to the Mindanao grid at 6:38 p.m. on the same day.
With the repair works completed, Pulangui IV is now producing 150 megawatts. The power plant’s output is expected to increase to 250 MW.
To recall, Napocor shut down Pulangi IV last April 17 to pave the way for the repair of the plant’s headrace channel/surge pool, as well as the Preventive Maintenance Servicing (PMS) of Pulangui IV’s three turbine generator units.
Napocor had estimated that repair works will take 30 days, but had also vowed to fast-track the project.
It has earmarked P7.11 million for the rehabilitation of Pulangui IV. It was the first time that the 255-megawatt power plant underwent major repair works since it started operating in 1986.
Under the rehabilitation project, Napocor was able to restore the stability of the headrace channel and the surge pool riprap protection.
The 9.5-kilometer-long headrace channel is the part of the power plant where the water that is used to run Pulangi IV passes through before going to the turbine generator units.
The rehabilitation of Pulangui IV has been in Napocor’s work program as early as 2011, when major defects such as massive scouring were first noticed on the headrace channel.
