Power firm in Benguet urges residents to stop dumping trash in river

BAGUIO CITY — Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO), the power distributor in the Province of Benguet and Baguio City, expressed concern as it observed trash being dumped on the areas surrounding the Upper Agno River posing danger to the operation of its 3.24 megawatt (MW) Man-asok Hydro-Electric Power Plant (MHEPP) in Man-asok, Buguias, Benguet.

During the last recent inspection conducted by personnel of BENECO, they saw plastic bottles, cellophane, vegetables refuse and trimmings, clothing and disposable diapers near the MHEPP. These garbages according to them may clogged the weir intake and desander of the plant when they will be carried to the facility by strong waters brought by strong rains and typhoons.

Power Generation and Operations Department (PGOD) manager Artemio Bacoco said that the clogging will deprived the needed volume of water to the weir intake that is responsible to make the three turbines rotate to produce current.

Bacoco then solicited the cooperation of the residents living near the river banks and dispose their garbage responsibly. He said they should properly dispose their refuse so that it will not go to the water.

Bases on the data of Beneco, personnel of the PGOD are collecting up to three tons of biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage in the areas near the facility every three months. The department is employing difgerent measures to filter the water from solid garbage that can cause clogging and damage to the power plant.