Old pact with Sual Coal-fired power plant to be revisited

By May 10, 2015Business, News

WERE the province and the town of Sual promised special privileges as hosts of Sual Coal-fired Power Plant ?

This ws the question that prompted Sual Mayor Roberto Arcinue to formally ask the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) to revisit the agreement entered into by the provincial government, the municipality of Sual and the National Power Corporation (NPC) that led to the construction of the 1,218 megawatt Sual Coal-fired Power Plant in the 1990s during the term of then President Fidel V. Ramos.

As hosts of the coal-fired power plant, Pangasinan and Sual might have demanded special privileges from the power plant, Mr. Arcinue said.

The Sual mayor mused that the provincial officials then may not have signed the agreement with NPC without being assured of the benefits to Pangasinan and of Sual from the power plant which initially met vigorous opposition from the residents, especially environmentalists.

Mr. Arcinue claims he knew of reports that aside from being promised to be given power when a nationwide power crisis exists, the people of Pangasinan and of Sual were also promised to be given cheaper electricity.

The issue was raised after Mr. Arcinue’s said Team Energy has not responded positively to the resolution passed by the Sual Sanggunian Bayan (SB) asking Team Energy to reserve one MGW daily to the town should the whole nation be plunged in a serious power crisis soon, being the host of the power plant.

Earlier, Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla said in Lingayen that as hosts of the Sual coal-fired power plant, Sual and Pangasinan may be given preferential rights over power produced in their localities.

Fifth District Board Member Danilo Uy, however, said the Team Energy might not consider the request since not even one of the public utilities in Pangasinan is buying power from either the Sual Coal-fired Power Plant or the San Roque Hydro-electric Plant.

He said the Pangasinan Electric Cooperative I and the Pangasinan Electric Cooperative III are buying power from a power producer in Bataan while Central Pangasinan Electric Cooperative and the Dagupan Electric Corporation are buying their supply from San Miguel Energy Corporation.

He noted that because the power is sourced all the way from Bataan, it is not a surprise at all that the cost of electricity in Pangasinan is higher than the rest of the nation even if the province is hosting two power plants.

Sual, being serviced by Cenpelco, which has reportedly over P600 million in unpaid power bills to its power supplier, San Miguel Energy Corporation (SMEC).

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