Atienza vows strict monitoring of Iloilo coal-fired power plant

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza yesterday assured opponents of the 164-MW coal-fired power plant in Iloilo that the operation of the Panay Power Corp. will be “strictly monitored” to make sure that the facility would conform with its claim of “clean technology.” 

He made this statement, as he issued on Sept. 1 the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for the coal-fired power plant, which will be put up by PPC in Barangay Ingore in La Paz town. 

The coal-fired power plant project, which is supported by local officials and business groups but vehemently opposed by the Church and environmental groups, is expected to be completed in 2010. The project is said to address the power shortage in Iloilo and Panay Island.

“After a lengthy study of my office and the Environmental Management Bureau, we issued the ECC for the coal-fired power plant last week. We went through all these technical facilities that they were pointing out and I have technical men to certify the clean technology that they said they are going to use,” the DENR chief told reporters, even recalling his trip to Taipei to inspect a similar coal-fired power plant established within an industrial zone producing microchips in Taiwan.

“So, we are holding the proponent of this project to the same pollution-free coal-fired power plant technology. We will strictly monitor its operation to make sure that they would conform with that clean technology,” he also said.

Atienza said that he is considering the inclusion of the individuals or groups opposing the Iloilo coal-fired power plant in the monitoring team that would keep an eye on the operation of the Coal-Fired Panay Power Station Project.

At the same time, Atienza hit back at critics, who has accused him of engaging in a “double talk” for enjoining world leaders during the Bali conference a few months ago to urgently address climate change and now promoting what environmentalists have branded as “dirty energy.” Environmentalists insisted that coal plants are among major contributors to global warming.

“There is no double talk in what we’re saying. My concern is the pollution and environment, so if these issues are answered then we should find a better deal to benefit the majority to tap a cheap source for our energy and make energy cost for our people cheap,” Atienza said.

“We support the research for the use of renewable energy, but such technology come with a price and it is expensive. Putting up a windmill or using solar energy is too costly. Renewable energy will happen one day, but not today. All of these are experimental. Until its cost is lowered, in the mean time we will look for practical ways to lower the cost of electricity,” he also said.

In a letter to PPC president Francisco Co, the DENR chief said that the company is expected to implement the measures it presented in the environmental performance report, management plan and environmental management plan with the issuance of the ECC.