Kephilco keen on pursuing coal plant project in Sual, Pangasinan
By Lenie Lectura – February 1, 2019
from Business Mirror
KEPCO Philippines Corp. (Kephilco) is keen on pursuing its multibillion-peso 2 x 500 megawatt (MW) coal power project in Sual, Pangasinan.
Kephilco’s power project was earlier listed by the Department of Energy (DOE) as one of the indicative power projects in Luzon. The target commissioning and commercial operation of the power project is September 2023.
The project cost is estimated at $1.834 billion or P91.7 billion.
Based on its filing, Kephilco said there is a “need for the project based on national regional/local economic development in terms of contribution to sustainable development agenda or current development thrusts.”
“The proposed project will ensure the reliable delivery of electricity supply in Luzon in the year 2020 and beyond. It will be a key infrastructure in sustaining the development of the country,” it said.
“In as much as coal is still the cheapest source of power generation, the project will help in maintaining the current price levels of electricity which is the second highest in Asia,” the company said.
Moreover, the proposed project is seen to bring progress in the municipality since it will generate additional taxes; the local residents will be given priority for employment by the proposed project; and the plant will provide cheaper and more reliable electricity to meet future demands. Coal-power plants remain the most reliable and affordable base load plants in the Philippines.
“Without reliable and affordable electricity, the economic development may not be achieved,” Kephilco added.
Kephilco said the planned power project had been scheduled for public posting.
The public scoping is an early stage in the Environmental Impact Assessment Process where the proponent aims to provide an overview of the proposed expansion project, present proposed action, gather issuances and concerns, and other relevant information to provide the scope of work and terms of reference for the purpose of environmental impact statement (EIS).
All interested parties, organizations and agencies are encouraged to provide inputs during the public scoping and public review period and provide comments.
The originally planned power plant proposal involved a 3×300 Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) coal-power plant at the same site. The original proponent was Tans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. (TA Oil). However, under a memorandum of agreement between TA Oil and Kepco, the project was turned over to the latter.
The original project has undergone the initial stages of EIS process with the submission of the EIS draft report and acceptance thereof by the EIAMD (Environmental Impact Assessment and Management Division) up through the second Review/Technical Screening when TA Oil decided to turn over the project to Kephilco.
Kephilco increased the power-plant capacity to 2 x 500 MW and is utilizing the Advanced Ultra Supercritical Pulverized Coal Technology (AUSPCT) instead of the CFB technology.
