KEPCO: Naga plant has pollution control system

CEBU, Philippines - The Korean Electric Power Corp. (Kepco)-SPC Power Corporation plant in Naga City got the thumbs up from Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia after inspecting the measures taken to mitigate air and water pollution in the area.

Garcia said that while she strongly supports the operation of the power plant, she will not allow that the health of the people would be compromised.

Garcia, together with Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong, and members of the media were at the plant yesterday to check what Kepco-SPC has done.

She reiterated the need of Cebu for more power supply in order to meet the growing demand of electricity that goes with economic growth.

“We have seen the unprecedented height of progress and development of Cebu. We cannot sustain growth unless we have adequate power,” Garcia said.

The governor as well as the mayor of Naga issued separate cease and desist orders early last month after residents of the area surrounding the plant complained of dust pollution.

The company was allowed to operate again after imposing temporary measures to mitigate the dust pollution, but was given until April 30 to implement permanent measures.

Kepco-SPC finished putting the measures in place ahead of schedule.

“We are thankful to KEPCO-SPC for showing their sincerity and fuelling Cebu’s growth,” the governor said.

Chiong for his part said that the city government is also supportive of the power plant’s project.

    Reinerio Lastimoso, General Manager for Community, Public Relations and Environmental Management was happy to announce that they have substantially completed putting in place dust control measures at the coal yard in its new 200-megawatt CFBC power plant days before the April 30 deadline to prevent pollution.

 In a presentation, Lastimoso showed that their company have installed steel poles, cyclone wire with wind nets, long-span GI sheets, concrete walls, as well as planted trees as a means to prevent dust pollution.

Lastimoso also explained that they have put up seawater pollution control, noise pollution control and air pollution control.

 He said that the presence of the governor with the members of Cebu media shows common concern in protecting the environment and ensuring health in the process of enjoying continued supply of electricity.

Kepco-SPC’s Unit I already provides 100 megawatts of power to the Cebu-Negros-Panay grid since last February 28 amidst opposition coming from different environmental groups.

Lastimoso expects that their Unit II, which is also capable of generating 100 megawatts, will be commercially available before the end of next month.

It can be recalled that residents and even KSPC workers complained of coal dust being blown by strong winds when fresh coal supply was unloaded from a ship on March 9.

“Investing a huge sum in providing continued supply of electricity and make brownout a thing of the past in Cebu means we shall be staying here for a long time. This also means we share the same environment with our hosts. Maintaining quality and a healthy environment is a common concern,” Lastimoso said.

Lastimoso also expressed top management’s message that KSPC intends to be a good corporate citizen even as he pointed out that the vigilance of the host community challenges the company to be always on its toes.

Lawyer Guillermo Dabbay, KSPC general counsel, said preventing dust pollution is a basic commitment of the power firm in its pledge to continue to power the growth and progress of Cebu. –

/NLQ (FREEMAN)