By Nonie Reyes
ILOILO, La Paz District—A 150-megawatt (MW) clean-coal power plant was switched on on Wednesday at the Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) grounds.
PEDC, a subsidiary of Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC), is one of the largest power producers in the Visayas.
The P15.6-billion expansion project is the GBPC Group’s latest investment in the province that had invested a total of P20 billion for PEDC’s first two 82-MW clean-coal plants in 2011 that aims “to provide adequate, reliable, clean and cost-efficient power to the residents and businesses in the region”.
The GBPC is maintaining three power plants in Iloilo City, namely, the diesel-oil-based Panay Power Corp. (PPC), PEDC’s 164-MW coal-fired power plant and the latest 150-MW coal-fired plant, all located in Barangay Ingore, La Paz district.
“Today’s inauguration ceremony underscores our commitment to support the economic growth of the region,” GBPC Chairman Jose Maria K. Lim said. “By providing adequate power supply, we are fueling the growth of industries and the availability of jobs in Panay, hereby providing a viable alternative to the already congested Metro Manila.”
The economy of the region has been on an upswing in recent years. Western Visayas was the second fastest-growing economy in the country last year, with its gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growing by 8.3 percent, the Philippine Statistics Authority said. Its GRDP grew by 5.2 percent in 2014 and by 3.4 percent in 2013.
“Being very conscious about the environment now, coal is what they say is the elephant in the room, because it emits carbon dioxide and it is a ‘no-no’ in the present situation,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said. “But this is very important: The coal plant will be with us. I have been asked many times not to forbid coal plants. We need a cheap source of energy—a reliable, adequate, secure and sustainable source of power of energy and coal can answer that,” Cusi said in his keynote address.”
PEDC said the third unit is already contracted to provide power to Iloilo Electric Cooperatives I, II and III, as well as the Antique Electric Cooperative. It is also providing electricity to the Guimaras Electric Cooperative of the Panay-Guimaras Power Supply Consortium. In February PEDC will also produce and supply power to the Manila Electric Co.
“The addition of the new 150-MW power plant will be a reliable and sustainable source of energy that can respond to the region’s growing economy and contribute significantly to its baseload capacity,” GBP President Rolando Bacani said.
*** Nonilon “Nonie” Reyes is the BusinessMirror’s Chief of Photographers.