Marcos backs NSC revival, seeks APHC power assessment

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed support for reviving the steel industry in Northern Mindanao during a meeting with the Regional Development Council (RDC) of Northern Mindanao on Tuesday.

Marcos emphasized that local steel production is crucial for his administration's industrialization plans and noted ongoing discussions with both foreign and local groups interested in partnering to reopen the National Steel Corp. (NSC).

The RDC members advocated for the revival of the 500-hectare NSC property, highlighting its potential job creation benefits.

Marcos instructed the Department of Energy (DOE) to assess whether the Agus-Pulangi Hydropower Complex can provide the necessary power supply for a steel mill, noting that the APHC has an installed capacity of around 1,000 MW while steel production would require at least 1,500 MW consistently.

The President said he will bring these concerns to Secretary Raphael Lotilla of DOE to conduct a technical analysis on meeting the power threshold for steel production.