Santiago City, Isabela—SN Aboitiz Power Group (SNAP), a leading renewable energy solutions provider, continues to advance community development by partnering with distribution utilities to implement electrification projects.
In recent months, SNAP signed memorandums of agreement with the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) and Isabela Electric Cooperative (ISELCO) to energize more communities in the Cagayan Valley and Cordillera Administrative Region.
These agreements highlight the importance of strong partnerships between power generation companies and distribution utilities to effectively utilize the electrification fund (EF) for the benefit of host communities.
The EF, established under the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Regulation No. 1-94 (ER 1-94), provides benefits to communities hosting power-generating facilities by setting aside 50% of one centavo per kilowatt-hour (0.005/kWh) of electricity sales for electrification projects.
In line with the DOE’s National Total Electrification Roadmap, which seeks to attain 100% electrification by 2028, the EF funds are mostly utilized to increase access to power in underserved areas, especially rural and isolated areas.
The operation of SNAP’s Ambuklao and Binga hydro facilities in Benguet, as well as the Magat and Maris hydro facilities in Isabela and Ifugao, has generated P45-million in EF since 2018.
A portion of these funds were allocated to the host towns’ public health emergency response activities during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. These partnerships and initiatives underscore SNAP’s commitment to community development and sustainable energy solutions. #
