The windmills of Oriental Mindoro
MANILA, Philippines - The province of Oriental Mindoro will soon enjoy the benefits of alternative energy once the 48-megawatt wind energy power system or WEPS of the Philippine Hybrid Energy Systems, Inc. (PHESI) is completed. Covering an area of 1,296 hectares, the wind farm will be built in three phases in the mountain village of Baclayan, overlooking Puerto Galera’s scenic resorts and coves. Construction of the first phase which will be comprised of eight wind turbines or towers, standing 78 meters above the ground and capable of generating 16 MW, has begun. Commercial operations is targeted to begin in or before 2015. Present at the ground-breaking ceremony held in Barangay Tabinay were PHESI officials led by chairman and chief executive officer Armando “Andy†de Rossi and president and chief operating officer Nicanor “Nicky†Villaseñor III and VIP guests former Energy undersecretary Jose ‘Jay’ Layug, Jr., former Italian ambassador Luca Fornari, Oriental Mindoro governor Alfonso Umali, Oriental Mindoro representative Rodolfo Valencia, and Occidental Mindoro representative Reynaldo Umali. Besides power generation, PHESI’s WEPS is expected to create renewed interest in Puerto Galera as a tourist destination. The Puerto Galera facility is seen to dwarf the Bangui wind farms in Ilocos Norte.
