Skilled and professional locals in areas where Hedcor’s hydro power plants operate were employed for the annual rehabilitation and maintenance works last summer season.

Starting January, Hedcor hired 32 local skilled workers here in Benguet and Ilocos Sur for its maintenance activities. Annual plant maintenance increases reliability and efficiency in producing Cleanergy, AboitizPower’s brand of clean and renewable power.

Qualified engineers, electricians, welders and helpers were locally sourced for the maintenance works.

“We give priority to our locals whenever we have job openings, we ensure that we tap qualified locals to do the job. In this way, we help generate jobs that benefit the communities where we operate,” Senior Vice President for Operations Chris Faelnar said.

All components of the plants, from electro-mechanical elements including the turbines, generators, transformers, control systems, and other hydraulic structures underwent annual servicing, restoration and replacement routines. Radio rooms and communication equipment are improved and tested.

Non-generating systems such as access roads and trails are being improved through concreting and riprapping works.

Replacement of the conveyance pipes, installation of higher and wider platform for the weirs, restoration of damaged pipe riprap protection, replacement of the pressure gauges of the penstocks and patching of old conveyance lines.

These maintenance activities are regularly being done to ensure that the entire system is in top-notch condition for the upcoming rainy season and to cope with ever-increasing power generation demands.

The rehabilitation works will be completed this May. Counting on the natural flow of the water in a run-of-river system, the low water level of the rivers gives way for Hedcor’s maintenance team to do rehabilitation works.

The annual upkeep of the run-of-river system has been the company’s practice not only to ensure that the hydraulic components are in optimal working condition but also ensures compliance to ISO 14001 standards (Quality Management Systems) in all its plants. QMS certified since 2005 by the Certification International Philippines, Hedcor continues to build and operate hydro power plants which contribute clean and renewable energy to the country’s power industry.

Hedcor recently inaugurated its 14MW Sabangan Hydropower plant in Mt. Province, the first hydro in the province. Additionally, the 68.

8MW Manolo Fortich Project broke ground last April and Hedcor will hire 400 locals in Bukidnon to help complete the plant by 2017.

To date Hedcor operates 22 run-of-river hydropower plants with a total capacity of 185MW.