Aklan guv optimistic over Nabas wind farm expansion

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Aklan governor Florencio Miraflores is optimistic of the expansion plan of wind farm investors to build more wind turbines in Nabas, Aklan.

Nabas-1 wind farm in Pawa

The 36-megawatt wind power Nabas-1 project is a joint venture of PetroEnergy Resources Corporation (PERC) wholly-owned subsidiary PetroGreen Energy Incorporated (PGEC), EEI Power Corporation and its new business partner BCPG Public Company Ltd of Thailand.

The Nabas wind farm has 18 wind turbines made by Spain’s Gamesa Eolica S.L. Unipersonal. Each turbine generator has a capacity of 2 megawatts which is erected at 78 meters in height in the hills of Barangay Pawa  in Nabas.

For the expansion called Nabas-2, the joint venture has allotted P1.6-billion for the construction of four to seven wind-turbine generators to generate 14-megawatts of clean and renewable energy.

Miraflores said investors are looking to boost the supply in the Visayas grid by expanding its 36-megawatts capacity in Nabas wind farm to 50MW next year.

This year, the local government units earned P20-million real property taxes from the wind farm project. Aside from livelihood opportunities, the ‘giant’ windmills all lined up in the hills of northern Aklan also attracted tourists.

The wind farm is a half hour drive from Caticlan in Malay, the main jump-off point to Boracay Island, and considered one of the biggest investments in Aklan.

The article was originally published by independent online blog Aklan Forum Journal. The unrestricted use in print or radio, publication and distribution of articles are allowed provided the original author and Aklan Forum Journal are credited.