A 15-megawatt solar power plant to be put up in the northern tip of Cebu province will boost the government’s power supply generation capacity, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said Wednesday.

The power plant that will be operated under a joint venture agreement between Acciona Energia Global and Freya Renewables, a Spanish firm, and Cebu provincial government will reinforce the electric power needs of the neighboring Panay Island.

Panay Island experienced widespread and prolonged power outages for three days in early January and subsequent outages two weeks later after several power plants tripped.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued a statement on the urgency of the situation, citing Iloilo province’s PHP3.8 billion economic losses during the first round of outages, while the general public had to endure untold inconveniences without electricity in their homes and workplaces.

“The project is a big boost to the power generation efforts of the government,” Garcia said.

She said the project is a priority of the Department of Energy, citing its ability to address the growing demand for power in Central Visayas and neighboring regions.

The solar power plant will stand on a 185-hectare lot in Barangay Talisay in Daanbantayan town.

On Tuesday, Garcia met with 56 lot owners to notify them of the capitol’s move to buy their lots to pave the way for the construction of solar panels. (PNA)