By Daniel Que
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) of Pangasinan has approved during its regular session on November 18, a resolution endorsing the development of a new solar power plant in in Binalonan.
Provincial Resolution No. 2891-2024, titled “Interposing no objection to and endorsing the installation, operation, and maintenance of the Binalonan Solar Power Project of Citicore Solar Pangasinan 2 Inc.,” was unanimously approved by the board. The resolution paves the way for Citicore Solar Pangasinan 2 Inc., a renewable energy developer, to proceed with the construction and operation of the 113.123 MWp (megawatt peak) solar power plant.
Citicore Solar Pangasinan 2 Inc. formally applied for approval in a letter dated October 14, 2024, requesting a resolution of support and no objection from Governor Ramon Guico III and Vice Governor Mark Ronald Lambino.
The Sangguniang Barangays of Santa Catalina and Moreno have already passed resolutions favoring the project. Additionally, the Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council) of Binalonan has endorsed the development, construction, maintenance, and operation of the solar plant and its related facilities.
As part of the project, Municipal Ordinance No. 2024-01 was enacted to reclassify approximately 1, 037, 254 square meters of agricultural land in Barangays Santa Catalina and Moreno to commercial/industrial use, clearing the way for the solar power development.
In August 2023, the Department of Energy granted Citicore Solar Pangasinan 2 Inc. a Solar Energy Operating Contract (SEOC No. 2023-08-688), giving the company exclusive rights to explore, develop, and utilize solar energy resources in the Binalonan area.
The passage of the resolution aligns with the objectives of Republic Act 9513, the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, which aims to accelerate the development and utilization of renewable energy resources in the country.
The resolution, jointly authored by Fifth District Board Members Rosary Gracia Perez-Tababa and Nicholi Jan Louie Sison, emphasizes that the project will provide significant socio-economic and environmental benefits to Pangasinan. “The establishment of an alternative source of power is a welcome development in the Province of Pangasinan, as it will help accelerate the energy program in the area,” the resolution states.
The solar facility, which will be built in two phases, will have a total installed capacity of 240 MW. The first phase, with a capacity of 168 MW, will be completed by 2025, while the second phase, adding 72 MW, is set to follow. Once completed, the solar power plant is expected to generate 326 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity annually, enough to power approximately 136, 000 households.
This significant renewable energy initiative is poised to make a major contribution to the province’s energy sustainability and economic growth.