Calling themselves Sual
ProProgress, the group pointed out that the municipality stands to collect about
P800-million a year in real property taxes to be shared by the province, the
municipality and the barangay where the project shall be constructed.
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| A modern coal power plant. |
Aside from tax revenues, the
plant with a 1,000-megawatt capacity would generate more than a thousand jobs
for the locals as well as reduce the cost of electricity for households.
Korean Electric Power Corp.
(Kepco), the biggest power supplier in South Korea, is the proponent of the project with a cost of roughly two billion US dollars. Initial
negotiations for its construction were initiated by outgoing Mayor Roberto
Arcinue.
The project has already been
endorsed by lawyer Raul Lambino, presidential adviser for Northern Luzon
pursuant to the declaration by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan which declared the
town of Sual as the future energy city of Pangasinan.
Sual ProProgress said the
revenues from the plant could be used for livelihood assistance to residents,
scholarship grants, additional subsidies for farm implements and irrigation as
well as fund the construction of additional farm-to-market roads, classrooms
and health centers.
The plant, which will be
operated by the Seoul-based company, would be the second coal-fired power here..
The first power plant, which
was built in 1995, has brought progress to the town, they said. From a fifth
class municipality, Sual was classified as a first class municipality and has
been ranked second in the list of richest towns in the country.
The group believed that aside
from assuring residents of a stable and adequate supply of electricity, another
power plant would encourage more investors to set up branches in Sual or
consider the town as primary location of their business ventures.
The second coal-fired power
plant is in line with the Duterte government’s thrust to ensure that the
country has sufficient energy to avert another power crisis owing to the rapid
increase in population and the influx of investors.
It is also consistent with the
thrust of Gov. Amado Espino III to transform Pangasinan into an ideal place “to
work, invest and raise a family.”
The President stressed that
there should be no problem with coal-powered plants contributing to pollution because
of the advent of new technologies used in this new coal-fired power plant which
is considered as “high efficiency (45 percent) low emission (HELE)” that
substantially cuts gas emission by 30 percent compared to its predecessors that
had efficiency rating of only 33 percent. (P.R News)
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