The provincial government of Cebu announced on Friday that it has forged a joint venture with Acciona Energia Global and Freya Renewables for the construction of a 150-megawatt solar power plant in Barangay Talisay, Daanbantayan,Cebu.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia told Acciona executives and Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Shimura that just compensation for at least 56 lot owners are to be imposed, adding that the properties fall within the 185-hectare lot eyed for the solar power plant.

Garcia stressed that the proposed construction of the power plant is seen as a big boost to the government’s power supply generation capacity.

Shimura, meantime, assured the residents of the local government unit’s help by prioritizing them in housing and relocation projects.

The governor, on the other hand, said that the project is a priority of the Department of Energy as it is seen to address the growing demand for power in Central Visayas and neighboring regions.

To recall, neighboring Panay Island experienced widespread and prolonged power outages for three days early January and subsequent outages just two weeks later after power plants in the island tripped.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. even issued a statement on the urgency of the situation, as Iloilo Province alone suffered P3.8 billion in economic losses on the first round of outages and the general public had to endure untold inconveniences without electricity in their homes and workplaces.