Enrile: Expect power crisis if no additional power plant
SUAL— The establishment of a second power plant in the town earned support from former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.
Enrile expressed his support as negotiations for the establishment of the second coal-fired power plant here are in full swing for the targeted start of the construction of the multi-billion-dollar facility by yearend.
This was disclosed by Mayor Roberto Arcinue as he cited the call of Enrile to the Duterte administration to act fast to address the looming energy crisis in the country.
Enrile said the country’s energy situation might worsen as demand for electricity is expected to increase with the full implementation of the government’s flagship “Build, Build, Build” program.
“We do not have any source of hydrocarbon energy in the country except Malampaya. If a war happens in Russia or in the Middle East or in Africa or Latin America that will affect the supply of crude, what do you think will happen here? In one week’s time, we will not have supply of power,” Enrile warned.
The former senator further warned that a crisis situation will likely occur once prices of basic commodities skyrocket because of higher production costs.
Having sufficient supply of energy, he said, will guarantee that Filipinos will be insulated from the impact of spike in prices of oil and other petroleum products in the global market.
Mayor Arcinue said the proposal of Korean Electric Corporation (KEPCO), the biggest power producer in South Korea with branches in the Philippines and other countries, is very timely in the wake of call for the construction of more energy sources.
He said KEPCO will put up the 1,000 megawatt power plant at an estimated cost of US $2 billion in Sual.
Arcinue welcomes KEPCO’s initiative as this will create more than one thousand jobs for Pangasinenses in addition to estimated P800 million annually in revenues for the province of Pangasinan and the municipality of Sual.
The mayor assured residents that the additional power plant will not pose any hazardous pollution in view of the advent of new technologies that greatly reduce if not eliminate greenhouse emission.
Arcinue said the ultra super critical coal fired power plant will install a High-Efficiency Low-Emission Technology (HELE) Technology and a “greenhouse Technology”. (Leonardo Micua)
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