Facing the West Philippine Sea, these twenty gentle giants currently supplies 40% of Ilocos Norte’s electricity. At the Phase I, 15 wind turbines was built which were capable of supplying 24.75 MW of electricity. Then, last August 2008, on the Phase II of the project, five more turbines were added which now provides more than 30 MW of electric power in total.
Now, it’s one of the popular destinations to visit during a tour of Ilocos Region. A two-hour land travel from Laoag city, you can request for a guided tour via van from your hotel or, if you are adventurous, ask your friendly tricycle driver to bring you to the Bangui Windmills (the driver can serve as your tour guide as well).
When you get there, we wary about your headwear and, of course, your hair. ☺ The wind is so powerful; it can literally blow you away. There is no entrance fee required to visit these giant up close. So go ahead and strike a pose once your there.
Fell in love with the windmills?! They got some souvenir stalls near the site. You can bring home windmills as key chain, ref magnet, pen holder, and table accent. Price ranges from Php 5.00 – Php 500.00 depending on the size.
/// Written by Tere Bernardino, The Philippines
MegaStructures: the powerful Windmills of Bangui, Ilocos Norte, The Philippines
