LT council confirms hydro plant pact

January 21, 2020 Provincial

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal council has confirmed the agreement, setting up of a hydroelectric plant at the boundary of Sablan and of this town.
In a telephone interview on Thursday (Jan. 16), Vice Mayor Roderick Awingan, said the confirmation thus led way in the signing of the contract between the municipal government and the management of HEDCOR, Inc., in entering into a 25-year agreement to put up of the latter’s 20 megawatt Sablan 1 hydroelectric plant.
Mayor Romeo Salda signed the contract in behalf of the municipal government of La Trinidad and HEDCOR, Inc. senior vice president Chris Fernando Faelnar during the simple signing ceremony held at the town hall.
Topping the provisions of the agreement include – HEDCOR is committed to deliver to the local government at least 1 centavo per kilowatt-hour of the power generated and delivered by the power plant located within the jurisdiction of the municipality within 30 days from the company’s billing date to its customers.
The amount shall be increased by P0.005 per kilowatt hour of the power generation every 5 years until the expiration of the agreement.
HEDCOR shall pay to the local government all the prescribed taxes on business and real property taxes provided in the local revenue code. The company is required to coordinate with the local government for the construction of access roads, road-right-of-way and easement granted by the municipality where the power plant is located.
It shall extend preference in employment opportunities to bonafide residents of the municipality where its power plant(s) are situated, provided, however that vacancies exist and such residents are qualified, competent and physically fit for the positions applied for pursuant to the employment guidelines of the company.
For the host La Trinidad, it shall sustain measures to protect and preserve the forest and water resources within the municipality, including the specific areas relevant to the operation of the hydroelectric power plant.
Moreover, it shall assist in the maintenance of peace and order in the areas in the municipality where the power plant and the related facilities are located.

Primo Agatep/ABN