Davao City (10 July) -- The Regional Development Council (RDC) of Region XI is urging the private sector to invest in power supply generation in the region in the face of an expected rising power demand in the next 3 years. This call was made by RDC XI during its Second Quarterly Regular Meeting today at the Waterfront Insular Hotel, Davao City.

RDC Vice-Chair Nicasio Angelo J. Agustin said that the Council believes that investments coming from the private sector are needed even as government is embarking on major projects that would bring power supply from Northern Mindanao to the Davao Region.

Agustin, who also heads the regional office of NEDA here, revealed that big private corporations are about to establish more malls, other consumer-oriented centers, business process outsourcing facilities and condominiums here, particularly in Davao City. He said these additional facilities will likely put pressure on the region's power supply.

The RDC XI Vice-Chair, however, said that the government's Transmission Corporation (Transco) in its report to the Council has assured that with the completion in 2009 of the Maramag-Bunawan segment of its Abaga-Bunawan 230 kv transmission line project, the region would have additional power supply next year. Once completed, the segment, which runs from Maramag, Bukidnon to Bunawan, Davao City, can be used to tap into the 385 MW Pulangi hydropower plant in Maramag and bring electricity to Davao Region.

Agustin also said that Transco is expected to fully complete the other segments of the transmission projects by 2011, which will allow more power supply from Northern Mindanao to flow to the region.

Notwithstanding these efforts, Agustin said that the Council is pushing for the private sector to supplement government investments in power supply not only to ease pressure of the region's power supply brought about by increasing economic activities, but also to further entice more investments in the region.