KORONADAL City, South Cotabato  More  foreign  investors  could  be enticed  to  pour in capital in South Cotabato  following the construction of  a   solar  power plant in  Surallah town, Gov.  Daisy  Avance-Fuentes  said. Fuentes  believes the  5-megawatt (MW)  solar power plant  would help  ease  problems  on  insufficient  power  supply and protect the province  from high-cost  electricity. On  August  12,  nvvogt  Philippines  Solar One Inc  with the  provincial  government of South  Cotabato and  the municipal  government of  Surallah broke  ground  at the   8-hectare  site  in  Barangay Centrala, Surallah to signal  the start of the  installation of  23,000 solar panels and  eventual linking of the facility to the  South Cotabato 1 Electric  Cooperative (SOCOTECO 1). “This is   an  investment  with a  foreign  capital involved.  It should  signal  other  foreign  investors  that  South Cotabato is  a favorable place for investments,”  Gov. Fuentes  said in an interview. What is  important, the  local chief executive added, is for the management of  nvvogt  to be impressed  with  the  province. “If  we are  able to make  a good impression on these  investors, they themselves will encourage  others  to consider  putting in capital in our place,”  she said. Reynaldo  Casas, president  for  projects of  nvvogt  Philippines  told the  local  press  that  the solar power plant is capable of   generating  9  million  kilowatt (kWh) of electricity  annually or 175  million  kWh of power over the  next 20 years. “It is  expected  to  begin commercial production in  November,” Casas  said. SOCOTECO  1  serves  the  City of Koronadal and  the  municipalities of  Tampakan, Banga, T’boli, Lake Sebu, Surallah, Norala, Sto. Nio, and  Tantangan  in South Cotabato and Lutayan  town in  Sultan Kudarat. Gov. Fuentes also  pointed  out that  once the  power plant will start  production  South Cotabato’s  will  gain  stronger  safeguar against  insufficient  power  supply. “With several sources  of  electricity,  such as  hydro, diesel and now  solar power,  we  will  assured  that  we  will not  experience as much  power interruption as  other  provinces.” she said. Solar power should  also “provide cushion  against fluctuation of cost of electricity  because   we will have a healthy  mix  of  sources,” she said. pia