Aboitiz Power’s Hedcor celebrates 45th anniversary

ABOITIZ Power Corp.’s (AboitizPower) subsidiary Hedcor Inc. (Hedcor) marks May 25, 2023, its 45th anniversary. Since 1978, Hedcor has harnessed indigenous and renewable sources of energy in service to businesses and communities. In the process, it has become one of the country’s top renewable energy (RE) companies that specializes in generating electricity from run-of-river hydropower systems.

To date, Hedcor has 22 hydropower facilities in Luzon and Mindanao and a solar farm in the Visayas. These 22 hydropower plants — with a cumulative installed capacity of over 280 megawatts (MW) — are spread out in Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Benguet, Davao City, Davao Del Sur and Bukidnon. Since 2021, Hedcor also operates San Carlos Sun Power Inc. (SacaSun) in Negros Occidental with a peak capacity of 59 MW.

Hedcor started when Ernesto Aboitiz found interest in hydropower plants during a visit to Baguio City. This eventually led to Hedcor entering into a 20-year contract to operate the four American-built Asin Hydro Power Plants in Tuba, Benguet, which were fully operational by 1986. The following year, Hedcor also took advantage of Executive Order 215 — which encouraged private entities to venture into power projects — becoming one of the first to explore potential areas for hydropower generation.

The name “Hedcor” is derived from Hydro Electric Development Corp. (Hedcor). Hedcor was the name given to the initial Davao Light and Power Co. team who handled Hedcor’s first hydropower plants. In 2005, generating companies North Mini Hydro Corp. and Hedcor entered into a de facto merger with non-asset company Benguet Hydro Corp., which was later renamed Hedcor Inc. In 2009, Hedcor became a wholly-owned subsidiary of AboitizPower.

In 2022, Hedcor launched the country’s first National Operations Control Center (NOCC). It allows for the operation, monitoring and control of 21 Hedcor run-of-river plants and SacaSun all in one location.

“To remain competitive, we optimize our current assets, people and resources. Adopting new technologies will ensure efficiency, helping to implement operational excellence strategies necessary for future business growth,” Hedcor President and Chief Operating Officer Rolando Pacquiao said.