Bohol is home to beautiful beaches, exotic experiences, and world-class destinations. This tourist hotspot is abundant with attractions, yet suffers from a shortage of electric power.
Despite its thriving tourism trade and its lively culture, Bohol has been largely dependent on energy sources in Leyte to meet its daily electrical power requirement.
Because of the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda in 2013 and the 2017 7.2-magnitude earthquake, the electrical transmission lines and the power plant itself in Leyte were damaged, leaving Bohol in the dark.
Following Typhoon Odette, even more electrical lines got damaged, plunging the province once again into indefinite shutdown.
There is, however, some good news. A more efficient and higher-capacity power plant is coming to Bohol this 2024.
No longer does Bohol have to heavily rely on Leyte’s supply for additional power.
New reliable in-island power supply
Bohol Energy Development Advisory Group (BEDAG) was tasked to create plans to address the power situation in Bohol since Yolanda tore through Leyte and Bohol.
BEDAG is a group of LGU representations, NGA agencies, distribution utilities, transmission companies, civil society organizations, and the private sector who successfully created plans for a non-coal power plant in Bohol.
BEDAG has also forecasted that the power demand for Bohol in 2024 could reach 118 to 141 MW, while the power plant is expected to deliver at least 50 MW of power to help sustain the island’s electricity needs.
Operational by June 2024
Among 6 bidders for the project, Energy Development Corporation (EDC) came out on top and was awarded on June 3, 2021.
According to One Bohol Power chairman and Bohol I Electric Cooperative (BOHECO I) manager Dino Roxas, EDC is expected to begin operations of the new plant on December 2023, however, due to delays in the evaluation process EDC was given a 6-month extension.
Roxas also confirmed that the generation rate once operating in 2024 will be ₱4.37 per kWh. Hopefully this becomes true and the availability of another reliable source of power mitigates the rising price of power in Bohol.
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