Angat Hydropower Corp to pursue rehabilitation of Angat Dam

View of Angat Dam from San Lorenzo (Hilltop), Norzagaray, Bulacan.

MANILA – Angat Hydropower Corp. will rehabilitate the Angat dam, according to San Miguel Corporation president and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Ramon Ang.

”The rehabilitation of Angat dam is a go, that’s in the government agreement,” Ang said in a press conference following the Annual Stockholders Meeting (ASM) Tuesday. However, Ang failed to give the definite timeline for the planned rehabilitation this year.

Ang said San Miguel had signed a deal with Korea Water Resources Corporation last week for a 60-percent majority stake of the Angat Hydropower Corporation which owns the 218-megawatt (MW) hydropower project in Bulacan.

He said consulting firm Poyry Public Limited Company (PLC) will finalize its recommendation soon on how to rehabilitate Angat before awarding the project to a contractor.

Ang said the dam rehabilitation will include fortification of the 40-year-old structure to minimize the risk of damage particularly in the event of a major earthquake.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems (MWSS) previously estimated the dam rehabilitation cost at Php 5.7 billion, through the government allocation of Php 1.8 billion, while K-Water will spend Php 3.

9 billion.

In 2010, San Miguel made a bid of USD 312.5 million to rehabilitate the facility, but was outbid by K-Water with an offer of USD 440 million.

Angat Dam is also the main supplier of water for Metro Manila.