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PGMA in MisOr Today

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will visit Misamis Oriental today to Inaugurate the STEAG Coal Powered Power Plant in Villanueva and to grace the 77th Anniversary of the province. The President is expected to grace the inaugural ceremonies of the power plant starting at 11:30 in the morning by sounding the ceremonial gong. She will be assisted by Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Dr. Werner Muller, Chairman of STEAG Supervisory Board and former Minister for Economics and Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Other local and foreign dignitaries expected to grace the occasion include German Ambassador Dr. Axel Weishaupt, Japanese Ambassador Ryuichiro Yamazaki, STEAG AG Management Board Chairman Dr. Alfred Tacke, SPI chairman Dr. Washington SyCip and SPI President Andreas Rubin. The new power plant is the product of the combined skills and equipment supplies of at least 12 nations. It was built by about 3,000 local workers and is staffed by 180 Filipino and foreign personnel. The Mindanao Power Plant was the realization of a purchase power agreement signed between the National Power Corporation and then State Power Development Corporation (which became SPI) in 1998. After financial closing in November 2003, construction began that December and finished in \n \nThe power plant, which will run on Indonesian coal, will supply 15% of the electricity demand of Mindanao, giving a much-needed shot in the arm of the Mindanao Grid, whose generation requirements can no longer be fully provided by hydroelectric plants.\n \nSPI spent US$305 million to build the power plant, and spent a further P30 million on social development and environmental preservation projects to fully integrate the generation plant into its host communities, particularly Villanueva and Tagoloan in Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro City.\n \nThe low-emissions and safety measures of the power plant drew the approbation of local officials and of Presidential Daughter Evangelina “Luli” Arroyo, who had visited the plant site and its community and environmental projects.\n \nPresident Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will sound the ceremonial gong formally inaugurating the new power plant at noon January 08. She will be assisted Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla by Dr. Werner Muller, Chairman of STEAG Supervisory Board and former Minister for Economics and Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany. \n \nOther local and foreign dignitaries expected to grace the occasion include German Ambassador Dr. Axel Weishaupt, Japanese Ambassador Ryuichiro Yamazaki, STEAG AG Management Board Chairman Dr. Alfred Tacke, SPI chairman Dr. Washington SyCip and SPI President Andreas Rubin. ",1] ); //--> 35.5 months. The power plant, which will run on Indonesian coal, will supply 15% of the electricity demand of Mindanao, giving a much-needed shot in the arm of the Mindanao Grid, whose generation requirements can no longer be fully provided by hydroelectric plants. SPI spent US$305 million to build the power plant, and spent a further P30 million on social development and environmental preservation projects to fully integrate the generation plant into its host communities, particularly Villanueva and Tagoloan in Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro City. The low-emissions and safety measures of the power plant drew the approbation of local officials and of Presidential Daughter Evangelina “Luli” Arroyo, who had visited the plant site and its community and environmental projects.] Located inside a 55.42 hectare area of the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate (PIE-MO) in the municipality of Villanueva, Misamis Oriental, the plant is implemented under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) scheme based on a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with the National Power Corp. (Napocor). It is also considered the region’s biggest single foreign direct investment in 10 years costing US$305 million consisting of the construction of 2 units of 105MW coal-fired thermal units, 6-km. 138KV transmission line and a 5-km. underground raw water pipeline. Funds of the project has been derived from Germany’s STEAG Aktiengesellschaft (STEAG-AG) investing 89% of the total cost and the country’s State Investment Trust, Inc. (SITI) providing the 11% equity. “The project brings an optimistic outlook for the economy of 2007 as it answers the call of the President to use alternative fuel and responds to the government’s campaign for investments in electric power energy aimed at attaining stability in electric power supply to avert a potential powershortage in Mindanao and expects to contribute 15% of the total power demand of the island, once fully operational,” Jerome Soldevilla, STEAG Communications Officer, said. After the STEAG inauguration, the President is expected to motor to the Provincial Capitol of Misamis Oriental to attend the 77th Anniversary celebration of the province and the opening of “Tabo sa Umahan” (agri-fair). She will cut the ceremonial ribbon and release butterflies and balloons to open the weeklong celebration of the province’s anniversary. Scheduled Jan. 8-12, the agri-fair with the theme ‘Malamboon nga Panguma, Paglaum sa Ekonomiya’ (Successful Farming, Hope of the Economy), the “Tabo sa Umahan” highlights the 77th foundation anniversary of the province considering its successful staging for the past two (2) years. “Thus, we want to demonstrate our strong commitment in sustaining the gains of our agricultural productivity programs, as well as our solidarity in advancing the best interest of the province,” Gov. Oscar S. Moreno, said. An agri-sayaw sa kalsada (street dancing) competition around the main thoroughfares of Cagayan de Oro City at 6:30a.m., Jan. 8, will kick-off the weeklong celebration. Meanwhile, a variety of agricultural products under the One Town, One Product (OTOP) concept will be exhibited by Mis. Or.’s 24 towns and its two (2) cities, Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog, Danilo O. Maputol, Provincial Agriculturist, said. During the program following the agri-sayaw sa kalsada, farm equipments, particularly a tractor and a power tiller purchased from funds of the Mis. Or. Provincial Government and the Dept. of Agriculture, Regional Field Unit 10 (DA-RFU 10) will be turned over to identified beneficiaries. Among others, the weeklong activities include the different demonstrations, technology forum, nightly shows/presentations involving the Rural-Based Organizations (RBO) in the province and the conduct of “Pasiklaban” games and “Pinaka” (The largest/heaviest/longest, etc.) agri-product contests. Another feature of the “Tabo” is the Search for Mr. and Ms. 4H Ambassadors as well as the Rural Improvement Club (RIC) Queen of Mis. Or. in the evening of Jan. 8-10. The celebration will be capped on Jan. 12, by a fireworks display and a “sayawan”(dance for all) with the Mis. Or. Provincial Band that renders the nightly “Musikahan sa Parke” at the Capitol Ground. (with a special report from Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob, PIA 10)