A visit to Mt. Apo Geothermal Powerplant

Got a taste of real adventure last Feb.17---at least on my part.lol!

I'd never been to any top-of-the-mountain excursion so our plant visit to EDC (Energy Development Corporation) and Mt. Apo Geothermal powerplant last February 17, 2012 was an exciting one, a good breather from the cluttered life in the city.

Originally, our Production Management class planned a trip to Nestle in Cagayan de Oro but due to the recent flood calamity in Cagayan, Nestle plant was not available, so our professor decided to take us to EDC where one of our classmates employed as safety engineer.

At the back of the water-based steam power plant

Foggy surrounding

Energy Development Corporation, located in the middle of Mt.Apo in barangay Ilomavis, Kidapawan city, is the former Philippine National Oil Company, one of the government owned controlled corporations, but in 2009, the company was privatized and was acquired by the Lopez Group of Companies and renamed EDC. Its field centers on the renewable energy taken from natural resources, the company also pioneers geothermal energy in the country and produces water-based steam power. One of its production fields is located in Mt.Apo. The Geothermal production field has a total capacity of 106 megawatts spread across 112 hectares, it has production wells, reinjection wells and pipe network.

The fog is not due to bad weather but due to its steam power generation

We left Davao at 6:30 in the morning and arrived in Kidapawan at 11:00 soooo taxing! We did not anticipate this overtly long hours of travel so we did not take a heavy breakfast, there was this never-ending dilapidated road/and on-going road construction somewhere in Bansalan and Makilala, so we ended up traveling half-day. By the time we're heading to the top of Mt. Apo, we're extremely hungry.

We arrived at 12:00 noon and we were directed to the conference room for a short briefing and introduction on safety and other procedures (SOP when visiting EDC and Mt. Apo geothermal power plant), but all through out the lecture, which lasted for one hour, I was not listening because I was more concerned with the rumbling of my stomach. Waaah!

At 1:15 pm, we proceeded to the plant area with the majestic Mt. Apo in the background. Oh yes, it was terrific, wandering around, glancing at the great beauty of nature. We did not see the summit of Apo because it was very foggy and the thick steam coming from the plant covered part of the vertical limit of Mt. Apo. We were given goggle and helmet to be worn while touring the plant as part of the safety precautionary measures. We also visited the control system room of the plant with a brief discussion on how the geothermal energy works.

At the control area of the plant

At 2:00 pm, we left the area and proceeded to Lake Agco for our lunch, gosh!It was my first time to take lunch at 2:00 pm, thank God my head did not throw tantrums hehe, but my stomach produced an acid taste already while eating, a very common feeling when I would take lunch very late, so I did not enjoy the food.

Lake Agco

Lake Agco is just a very small mountain resort at the foot of Mt. Apo, there was a small area which was similar to jacuzzi bath, I saw some smoke coming from the water but I was not encouraged to take a dip because the water has a color brown haha and the area was crowded with lots of people resting beside the smokey water. 

Pools at Lake Agco

We left at 3:30 pm and arrived in Davao at 7:00 pm... a whole day adventure!But it was great because I was able to relax and unwind  ^______^

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