The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) signed a memorandum of understanding with New Canaan Energy Resources Corp. for the possible development of a canal-top solar power project in the Agno River integrated irrigation system in Rosales, Pangasinan.
The parties said under the agreement signed Monday, a full-blown study will be conducted to determine the financial, socio-economic and technical viabilities as well as the most cost-effective development, construction and operation of the power generation component in the project.
The Agno River integrated irrigation system has a firmed-up service area of 18,162 hectares, benefitting 24,298 farmers and their families from a total of 101 irrigators associations.
NIA did disclose the project cost but said the partnership forms part of efforts to utilize the full potential of its irrigation systems as multipurpose water resources projects for power generation, flood control, domestic water supply, agro-tourism and aquaculture.
Last September, NIA said 183 sites are in the pipeline for the development and construction of solar-powered irrigation (SPI) projects next year costing a total of P1.72 billion.
These SPI projects are capable of irrigating 2,168 hectares of new areas, it added.
According to NIA, next year’s target is higher than the 147 potential SPI projects set this year with a total cost of P1.64 billion.
