Catanduanes State University launches its P45.5M solar farm

By Edna Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes --- The Catanduanes State University (CatSU) launched its P45.5 million Solar Microgrid (Hybrid Solar Farm) on October 19, 2022, making it the first state university in the entire country to have its own solar farm.

CatSU President Patrick Alain T. Azanza said that the facility will be fully operational not later than December 2022 which is expected to give the university potential savings of around P700,000 a month in power bills.

In the meantime, only the College of Business Administration and the main library are connected to the solar plant.

According to Azanza, CatSU is the first SUC and government agency in the Bicol region to operate its own solar microgrid which is expected to provide dependable power supply to CatSU expressing hope that it may serve as a model for local government units in Catanduanes to install their own microgrids.

He also disclosed that they will be building a P55 million solar power plant in Panganiban Campus to cater to the Agri-Industrial Economic Zone locators, with the excess power to be sold to the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (PIA5/Catanduanes)