With certificate in hand, Aboitiz to put up 300-MW facility

Aboitiz Power Corp. has secured an environmental compliance certificate for its P25-billion coal-fired power project in Davao—a document that will allow it to proceed with the construction of the 300-megawatt facility.

In a statement, APC said the certificate, which was issued to its subsidiary Therma South earlier this month, was proof that it had complied with government requirements. This ensures that the project, once constructed and operational, will not cause significant harm to the environment.

The document also certified that the project’s Environmental Impact Study (EIS) and its operational and environmental protection plans received positive reviews from independent reviewers.

“We are happy to receive the ECC. APC, true to its promise of building a clean, safe and efficient power plant, will ensure that the facility will meet Philippine environmental standards as required by the certificate,” said Manuel M. Orig, APC first vice president for Mindanao affairs.

Therma South is now in the process of securing other necessary permits and clearances from concerned government agencies as well as from local government units before it could start construction.

The project will take 40 months to build.

The coal power project already received endorsements from the Davao City Council, the Municipal Council of Sta. Cruz as well as the host communities of Binugao in Toril and Inawayan in the Davao del Sur side.

According to APC, the project will serve to address the power shortage on the island while lessening residents’ dependence on hydropower.

With Mindanao’s demand for energy on the rise amid an increasing population and rapid development of many towns and cities, the island’s power supply is at a precarious stage and is seen to fall short in the next couple of years.

By 2014, Mindanao may experience a power shortage, with supply falling short by an estimated 480 MW—enough to power up the cities of Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Gen. Santos, Butuan and Zamboanga, according to the government and an independent think tank.
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By: Amy R. Remo
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sept. 23, 2011
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