Coal plant passes DENR test

CEBU, Philippines - KEPCO SPC Power Corporation has welcomed the results of the ambient air sampling for total suspended particles (TSP) conducted by Department of Environment and Natural Resources which proves its power plant in Naga City complies with government standards.

Reinerio Lastimoso, general manager for community and public relations/environment, thanked the residents, particularly Rodien Paca, head of the Naganian Awareness Against Pollution Association (NAAPA), for their vigilance and pro-active efforts.

Lastimoso said the management continuously discuss things with residents for better understanding of the company's operations and to make them appreciate what it is doing.

Lastimoso said as part of monitoring, they stayed from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. last week in the household of a complainant in barangay North Poblacion, the nearest barangay to the coal yard. No dust reached the house.

"As in other industrial and highway-adjacent areas, dust persists but the DENR regulatory body said this is within standards, which means within tolerable level," Lastimoso said in a statement sent to The FREEMAN.

To ensure that coal dust is not emitted from the coal yard, KSPC with its contractors and operator observed the strict implementation of standard operating procedures during the unloading of coal.

KSPC completed the long-term or permanent coal dust remediation works last April 30, 2011 that included construction of enclosure around the coal yard area and planting of trees which cost the company P42 million.

A standard operation procedure has also been implemented that involves the operation of adequate dust suppression system, among them the continuous spraying of water during unloading of coal and the stoppage of operation when there is strong wind. –THE FREEMAN