Energy Sec: COAL PLANT OR BROWN-OUTS
LUZON will suffer shortage of electric power supply resulting to massive brown-outs in the next three to five years if construction of the planned $1.28B 600-megawatt coal power plant in Subic is delayed any further.
Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras issued the warning as various sectors in Subic and outlying communities continue to oppose the Subic coal plant citing, mainly, fears of environmental degradation in and around the Subic Bay area.
Almendras, however, has clarified that with modern technology, equipment and processes, the Subic Coal Plant will be clean and will not cause pollution as feared.
“The question of whether it will cause pollution or not has already been answered,” Almendras told reporters.
He cited as example the 660 Megawatt Masinloc Coal Plant to be currently “one of the cleanest coal plants in the world.”
Almendras also revealed that he has discuused with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chair & Administrator Roberto V. Garcia the importance of the planned Subic Coal Plant in propping-up power supply in the Luzon Grid.
“We told him (Garcia) we really need a power plant for such a time and we will be needing more of those reserves,” Almendras said, “we really cannot afford not to have a new power plant by 2015.”
Almendras also pointed out that power demand and consumption has been growing and without, or even delay of, the construction of the Redondo Peninsula Energy, Inc.’s (RP Energy) Subic Coal Plant, there will be no other power source that could take its place.
Manila Electric Company’s subsidiary Meralco PowerGen Corp. owns 50% plus two shares in RP Energy whileTherma Power Inc. of Aboitiz and Taiwan Cogeneration International Corp. control the rest of the shares in equal proportions.
Almendras said RP Energy and SBMA officials have been into discussions to up the revenue take of SBMA from the project, thus, there shall be no more further reason to oppose the project.
Completion of the RP Energy Coal Power Plant in Subic is expected to be around 2015, in time for the increased demand for power supply from the Luzon grid in the face of increasing population and development.
