Alternergy’s 5 MW Dupinga Run-of-River Hydro Plant in Nueva Ecija starts commercial operations

• 5 MW of renewable energy supplies 158,000 households of NEECO II-Area 2 as an embedded generation and improves supply reliability and quality of power within its franchise

• Dupinga ROR as 2^nd plant to go online this year, completing Alternergy’s Triple Play portfolio of wind, solar and hydro technologies

• A testament of Alternergy’s pioneering and persevering spirit as a project developer and owner

Renewable power pioneer Alternergy Holdings Corporation (Alternergy), through its unit Dupinga Mini Hydro Corporation (DMHC), announced it has started commercial operations of its 5 MW Dupinga Run-of-River (ROR) Hydro Power Plant located in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija. 

This marks Alternergy’s second renewable power plant commissioned this year, following the 28 MWp Balsik Solar Power Plant in Hermosa, Bataan, which began operations in early February.

“The start of the commercial operations of Balsik Solar and now Dupinga ROR Hydro completes Alternergy’s Triple Play portfolio of wind, solar, and hydro renewable resources,” said Gerry P. Magbanua, president of Alternergy. “With hydro now online, our Triple Play strategy of diversifying revenues across complementary technologies is expected to boost Alternergy’s asset base and share value to our investors.”

“The Dupinga Project was a long time in the making. It navigated through the impacts of various challenges from permitting to indigenous peoples engagements to climate-related events, pandemic, and geopolitics,” said Eduardo Martinez Miranda, president of Alternergy Mini Hydro Holdings Corporation, the hydro sub-holding company of Alternergy. “Teamwork, perseverance, and patience held the Dupinga Project together to the finish line,” he added.

Mr. Miranda also noted the engineering details and innovation employed by the Dupinga Project to protect the environment, the communities, and the facility itself. A 3-kilometer concrete headrace and 1-km siphon system made of steel was constructed, tracing the natural contours of the mountain.

With its operations, the 5 MW Dupinga Project will generate 23,000 MWh per year of power supply to Nueva Ecija Electric Cooperative II – Area 2 (NEECO II- Area 2) for 20 years as an embedded generation and will support its Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) compliance.

Alternergy’s 5MW Dupinga Run-of-River Hydro Plant in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija starts operation

About 13,000 households in Nueva Ecija will be supplied with clean, renewable, and sustainable power, and 16,500 metric tonnes of avoided carbon emissions.

The Dupinga Project located in the municipality of Gabaldon is considered the last mile in the franchise area of NEECO 2-Area 2. The upgrade in the NEECO 2-Area 2’s distribution system associated with the construction and now operations of the Dupinga Project is also expected to improve the reliability and quality of power supply in Gabaldon and nearby municipalities. 

“With the completion of the Dupinga Project, we are looking at focusing resources to the other shovel-ready ROR project located in Kiangan, Ifugao,” Mr. Miranda said. “This is another challenge, but we are looking forward to implementing the strategies, innovations, and lessons learned from our already completed project,” he said.

With the Dupinga ROR and the Balsik Solar Power Plants already operational, two more are set for completion this year– the 128 MW Tanay and the 64 MW Alabat Wind Power Projects. This will bring 225 MW of new generating capacity to the Alternergy Group towards the goal of 1 Green Gigawatt by 2030.