By breaking ground on its fourth solar power farm in Crossing Paho, Barangay Luna on September 18, Cadiz City, has further solidified its title as the “Solar Capital of Visayas Region”.
The fourth solar farm is a P1.9 billion, 54.26 megawatts-peak (MWp) project by the Basic Energy 1 Corporation (BE Cadiz 1), a press release from Cadiz said.
This adds to the city’s existing 132.5-MW facilities by Helios Power Corporation and 98-MW by Singapore-based Sembcorp Energy Philippines both in Barangay Tinampaan and the upcoming 239.56-MWp Luna Solar project by Aboitiz Renewables in Barangay Luna.
In total, Cadiz will soon be producing a combined 524.32 MW of solar power capacity, the hugest so far in Visayas Region.
However, Cadiz Mayor Salvador “Bading” Escalante Jr., said one more solar project is coming to city, still courtesy of Aboitiz Renewables.
Aside from a large seascape, Escalante said Cadiz is also blessed with a vast landmass totaling 52,457 hectares.
Thus, aside from traditional sugar farming, the city known by its tagline “Land of Splendid Opportunities” is now venturing into coffee, pineapple, and coconut cultivation”, the press release said.
Hosting at least five solar power farms is another remarkable feat for the city, formerly known as “Dried Fish Capital of Negros Occidental”.
But the gist here is not about the power capacity that Cadiz will be producing. Rather, it is about Cadiz’s greatest contribution to empowering not just the province but the entire country as well,” Escalante said.
“If solar farms are meant to address the still- existing energy poverty in the country, then Cadiz is willing to be part of this noblest solution,” Escalante added.
Hosting solar farms, so far, is part of the city’s unceasing growth and evolution, the mayor stressed.
Aside from solar farms, Cadiz is also ready to host other big-ticket projects.
As for the talk that another power firm is contemplating building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, the mayor said, “They’re very much welcome.”
Escalante said one factor that makes Cadiz boom is investors’ trust, driven by the city’s implementation of the Ease of Doing Business Act.
In Cadiz, business owners can complete either their application or renewal for business permits in just 11 minutes, whether for large- or small-scale operations.
“But we are trying to surpass this 11-minute time frame very soon,” the mayor vowed.
“That’s our come-on. That’s our asset. That’s why we thrive, we progress,” Escalante said.*
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