SUAL, Pangasinan – A group
of residents called Sual Proprogress reiterated their support for the plan to
put up another coal-fired power plant here to address the problem on frequent
power supply interruptions and high cost of electricity in the country.
In welcoming the project, the group said aside from the
exorbitant cost of electricity, there is now an impending power crisis as
evidenced by the frequent power interruptions with Pangasinan as no exception.
They
cited a recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia Research which showed that a
majority of Filipinos are dissatisfied with the current prices of electricity
in the Philippines, which is the second highest in the Asia-Pacific region.
Filipinos
are also getting fed-up with the intermittent brownouts or blackouts.
Having
more coal-fired power plants, which are much cheaper to build, should be pushed
to generate adequate supply of electricity to make it cheaper and more
affordable to many Filipinos, the group pointed out.
They
said that various studies showed that power plants run by coal are cheaper to
build and generate much greater amount of electricity than the so-called
renewable energy sources.
The
studies showed that coal has many inherent advantages over renewable energy,
among which is that power plants run by renewable sources like solar and wind
are unreliable.
The
wind does not blow anytime, and the sun does not shine anytime, making
renewable energy sources very unreliable, the group said, adding that the
steady supply of coal makes coal-fired power plants more reliable sources of
electricity.
“Coal energy is an affordable energy source because of
the coal's stable price
compared to other fuel sources. Coal is
easy to burn. Coal produces
high energy upon combustion. Coal energy
is inexpensive,” the group said.
For
the second coal plant in Sual town, the project proponent will be using the
latest in clean coal technology, which refers to burning coal more efficiently
to generate less gas emissions.
One
of these new technologies is the so-called ultra supercritical reactors that
greatly minimize if not eliminate pollution.
The
proponent of the second power plant in Sual is investing about two billion US
dollars. The project is designed to generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity
that is expected to stabilize the power supply in the Luzon grid.
In
supporting the project, the group Sual Proprogress said the second power plant
would provide thousands of much-needed jobs for the residents aside from
generating millions of additional revenues for the municipality.
“The
second power plant would also generate more economic activities and
opportunities for the people in terms of more jobs, influx of more investors,
and increase in the value of real property and other business opportunities in
our communities,” they said.
Some 800 million
pesos in business and real property taxes could be generated annually from the
project to be shared by the province, the municipality of Sual and the barangay
where the second power plant would be located.
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