Meralco says Atimonan project exempt from coal plant ban
Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) seeks to secure assurance from the Department of Energy (DOE) that its coal-fired power plant project in Quezon province is not covered by a moratorium on new facilities issued in 2020.
Emmanuel Rubio, president of Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen), the power generation arm of the Pangilinan-led group, said the Atimonan project was included in the “committed list.”
The executive added the project already received an environmental compliance certificate for a 1,200-megawatt ultra-super critical coal.
“So it’s outside of the moratorium. we’re trying to get a DOE certification that it is really outside the moratorium to start the discussions on SIS (system impact study), looking for an engineering study,” he told reporters over the weekend.
In July, the DOE clarified there was no total ban on developing coal-fired power plants in the country. Existing and operational facilities that have made commitments for expansion can still proceed.
Indicative power projects with substantial accomplishments, particularly those with signed and notarized land acquisition or lease agreements, approved permits or resolutions from local government units and the Regional Development Council where the power plants will be located, are also exempt from the moratorium.
The DOE imposed the moratorium to cut carbon emissions and support the government’s push to shift to clean energy.
Earlier, MGen bared its plan to convert the proposed coal-fired plant in Atimonan to a facility that would run on gas.
However, Meralco chair Manuel V. Pangilinan said last week the group was leaning toward maintaining it as a coal plant.
“We don’t know yet whether we stay with coal or we switch it to natural gas. The inclination is to stay with coal,” Pangilinan said.
“Because if it’s gas, we have to put up the terminal … And I don’t know whether that’s the right place to put up a gas complex,” the tycoon added.
