San Roque dam will meet irrigation requirement - management

By VENUS MAY H. SARMIENTO

LINGAYEN - The San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) management said the dam will continue to meet what is required of it in terms of irrigation water supply and power generation. 

Tom Valdez, vice-president for corporate social responsibility of SRPC, dismissed fears that water supply may pose a problem to irrigation  as the dam is way below the 280 meters above sea level (masl) target for ample  water supply. 

Dam water level supposedly has reached its peak in November to December but rainfall fell short than expected.

Valdez clarified that even if the dam only registers 271.94 masl this week, it will  meet its irrigation dispatch requirement until the end of the second cropping. 

“We just have to use our water very wisely,” Valdez said during a media interview in Lingayen. 

Power generation is not also seen as a problem because the dam is required to operate only during peak hours, running at 115 megawatts. 

“The purpose of San Roque dam is to regulate the release of water for irrigation. Yung nire-release sa power generation, yung outflow, yun  ang pumupunta sa irrigation kaya na-me-maintain ang year-round supply ng irrigation,” Valdez clarified. 

Meanwhile, Valdez said he is proud of the institutionalization of the programs  and projects of SRPC in the community as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR).

“We have established a cooperative by the people, of the people and for the people. Hindi tayo bigay ng bigay lang but we teach the community to manage their own program and project so they could stand on their own,” he  said. 

San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) is responsible for the operations and maintenance of the power-generating facility of the San Roque Multipurpose Project for 25 years effective May 1, 2003.It will be turned-over to the government through the National Power Corporation in 2028. (VHS/PIA-Pangasinan)