Cojuangco rejects proposal
BNPP AS GAS-FIRED PLANT
IT’S the wrong solution.
This was the reaction of former fifth district Rep. Mark Cojuangco to a proposal to convert the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant ((BNPP) INTO into a gas-fired facility.
Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office earlier announced that the government is open to a proposal to convert the mothballed BNPP into a natural gas-powered facility to meet the country’s growing energy needs.
Cojuangco said that converting the BNPP into gas-fired facility would be more expensive and asked “why destroy a beautiful alternative for cheap electricity?”
He said the natural gas power plant the government plans for the conversion of the BNPP would sell at the level of today’s power rate or even higher “so why remove in our midst an alternative which could be a choice of the next administration?” he again asked.
Cojuangco continued, “Why does it have to be that one? Why are they eyeing that?”
“The electricity that would be produced by the BNPP would be half the price of the existing power rate now,” he pointed out.
He added that since 2008 he had been warning Congress about a looming power crisis. “Now it’s already here. The officials of the Department of Energy knew the situation, despite the existence of several power plants since that time , but why did they not act immediately?”
“And then now they want an emergency power (for the President to solve the power crisis)? If they already took care of the situation long time ago, then there would have been no need for an emergency power,” Cojuangco said.
He said he is wondering why they want the conversion of the BNPPP when Energy leaders could easily allocate with existing natural gas plants because all the infrastructures of the receiving facilities are already there.
Cojuangco pointed out that the BNPP is not ready to accept gas.
He recalled that during the time of then President Fidel Ramos, an Australian company made a study about options for BNPP’s conversion and the conclusion was for it to remain as nuclear power plant. (Tita Roces)
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