TheThe Matuno River Hydroelectric Power Plant, a run-of-river hydropower plant, is one of the most highly-anticipated developments in the Cagayan Valley region, aiming to generate 8.661 megawatts of electricity once operational.
In 2012, the service contract for the Matuno river was obtained from the Department of Energy (DOE). The development company saw the plant’s potential and located the site downstream, forming the project into a 15-meter dam that would generate 8.661 megawatts of electricity.
The weir during its construction phase.
Permits from the barangay, municipal, and provincial units were secured, and before its construction began, another thorough study was conducted to improve the plan. This resulted in a new detailed engineering design being drawn up.
In the final design of the power plant, the width of its structure was increased in order to protect the site from flooding during construction. The dam height was also adjusted to 20 meters to maintain the headrace needed to generate 8.661 megawatts of electricity. Additionally, the new design replaced the headrace to be situated along the steep mountainside with a tunnel that runs under it. This mitigated the risk of landslides that could have been caused by the earthworks that the project requires.
As a tributary of Magat Dam, Matuno River has a large watershed area of 590 square kilometers. This means that water from Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya flows through the plant, generating electricity even during the dry summer months. The plant has excellent hydrology as its capacity factor reaches up to 60 to 70 percent, making it a highly economical project.
Soon after the design and plans were finalized, the Matuno River Development Corporation applied for a project financing loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) which provided funding for the start of construction in 2019. With Magis Energy Holdings’ additional contributions as a major shareholder in 2020, development accelerated.
As with other projects, the project’s construction process faced its own share of challenges. The coronavirus pandemic struck the country and the health and lockdown measures affected the lives of so many Filipinos, including those of the project’s workers. Health protocols were implemented, and these inevitably slowed down on-site work. Moreover, government was unable to conduct site inspections and necessary testing for the plant to transition to operations. This unprecedented turn of events pushed most transactions to shift online. Communication facilities using satellites were then established to strengthen the signal and network access.
Inside the Matuno River Hydroelectric Power Plant.
Aside from COVID-19, 6 strong typhoons ravaged the area – typhoons Pepito, Quinta, Rolly, Tonio, Ulysses, and Jolina hit Northern Luzon in the span of the year-and-a-half-long construction of the project. These typhoons caused flooding in the construction sites.
Another issue encountered was the blockage of the Suez Canal, which held up the shipping of materials and equipment from overseas for a few weeks.
Even with these obstacles, the construction of the hydroelectric plant continued rapidly. In fact, the project is on its way to break local hydro-engineering records as development is expected to end this October. All the setbacks were sorted out due to the team’s hard work, led by the efficient management.
Most importantly, “Magis [Energy Holdings] was really instrumental in the completion of this project,” says Armando L. Diaz, the President of the Matuno River Development Corporation, commending the support of the young company set to contribute to a sustainably-powered Philippines.
Diaz also recognizes the endless support of the LGUs, as well as the competence of the project’s local civil works contractor, Jamrieze Builders, who hired expert dam engineers from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and their skilled workers who put their best efforts into the development.
The penstock, leading to the powerhouse
Utilizing top-of-the-line European equipment from Global Hydro Energy GmbH in Austria that guarantees years of reliable service, Matuno River will connect to the Bayombong Substation of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
Harnessing the power of water, the Matuno River hydroelectric plant will provide additional sustainable energy capacity to the province of Nueva Vizcaya.
The Matuno River plant will not only provide energy supply to the communities in Nueva Vizcaya but also water irrigation for its farmers. Tree planting activities are also part of the company’s immediate plans. With the government offering more incentives to renewable energy projects, and the commitment of Magis Energy Holdings, through the Matuno River Hydroelectric Power Plant, to provide not just sustainable and renewable energy but also a thriving community around its projects, we can all finally look forward to a more sustainable future. A greener and cleaner Philippines has never been more attainable.
