New 600 MW coal-fired plant vital to Philippines’ energy security

Baseload plant expected to come online by 2016.

Carlos Jericho Petilla, Secretary of the Department of Energy, remains hopeful the plant inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales province north of Manila will meet its operating timetable despite resistance from renewable energy groups.

Philippine President Benigno Simeon Aquino also supports the plant and mentioned its necessity in his fourth State of the Nation Address on July 22.

The plant is being built by a consortium called RP Energy. This group consists of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) Power Generation Corporation, Aboitiz Power Corporation and Taiwan Cogeneration International Corporation.

Petlla said the Philippines could experience tightness in power supply if RP Energy’s 600 MW plant does not become operational by 2015 or early 2016.

“I am counting on RP Energy to come in 2015 or early 2016. Otherwise, supply at that time will be tight,” Petilla said.

The power plant, however, still faces stiff opposition from environmental groups. The Philippine Court of Appeals recently affirmed an earlier ruling invalidating the Environmental Compliance Certificate issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to RP Energy for the power plant to be built inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.