MANILA, Philippines 11/1/11 (PennWell) -- SN Aboitiz Power commissioned the rehabilitated and expanded 105-MW Ambuklao hydroelectric project October 27 on the Agno River in the Philippines.

SN Aboitiz, a joint venture of Philippine power producer Aboitiz Power and Norway's Statkraft Norfund Power Invest (SN Power), acquired the 75-MW project in 2008 after it had been mothballed by National Power Corp. since 2000 due to silt problems.

"From today on, the Ambuklao plant will provide clean and renewable energy to millions of Filipinos," SN Power Chief Executive Torger Lien said. "This rehabilitation sets another milestone in the Philippine hydropower industry as the first of its kind in terms of scope and magnitude."

Ambuklao's rehabilitation included construction of a new intake and tailrace at higher elevations, installation of new electrical and mechanical equipment, erosion repairs, and repairs to gates.

SN Aboitiz won a 2007 auction offering US$325 million for Ambuklao and the 100-MW Binga project on the Agno, 19 kilometers from Ambuklao in Benguet Province on Luzon Island. Earlier this year, Ambuklao and Binga were registered by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as Clean Development Mechanism projects.