Developer plans hot spring and wellness center at Montelago project
Oriental Mindoro, Philippines (source: flickr/ Welcome to my B&B, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
22 May 2013
Constellation Energy Corp. is planning a lakeside hot spring and wellness center at its 20 MW Montelago geothermal power project in Oriental Mindoro, Philippines.
Following similar efforts by other developers, e.g. KenGen at Hells Gate National Park in Kenya, Philippine geothermal developer Constellation Energy Corp. plans the development of lakeshore areas with hot spring and wellness center near its 20 MW geothermal power project in Oriental Mindoro. And interesting enough also Constellation Energy is referring to Iceland’s Blue Lagoon.
The company intends to showcase “the healthy mix of green energy and green tourism”, so local news reporting on the company’s intentions.
“Green energy is the way to go. Power, tourism and health rejuvenation can mix. This is possible with renewable power energy,” said CEC chairman Jose Leviste Jr., who is venturing from mining to renewable energy.
New energy player CEC, along with partners Emerging Power Resource Holdings Inc. and IF Technology of The Netherlands, started work on the Mindoro geothermal project, which has a potential of generating up to 70 MW.
The project in Naujan Lake in Montelago, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro is scheduled to be commissioned in 2014.
Leviste said apart from providing power needed by a booming island, the hot spring and wellness center would become an entirely new attraction for Mindoro, now known for its world-class beaches and resorts to include Puerto Galera.
“The hot spring resort will boost Oriental Mindoro’s economy and tourism,” Leviste said.
He said while a law was passed declaring the Montelago hot springs a tourist resort, the place had not developed much over the years for lack of investors willing to pump in money into the remote barangay.
Emerging Power project chief executive Antonie de Wilde said the development of the Montelago hot spring and wellness resort would put Naujan in vacationers’ list of top destinations in the country.
Source: Manila Standard Today
