Environment advocates seek Writ of Kalikasan on 600-MW coal-fired power plant in Subic

Environmental advocates on Friday filed a Writ of Kalikasan before the Supreme Court against the expansion and construction of a coal-fired power plant to 600-megawatts from 300 MW in Subic, Zambales.   The power plant is headed by Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc., a consortium of Aboitiz Power Corp., Manila Electric Co. and Taiwan Cogen Corp. "In June 2012, residents learned that Redondo Peninsula is planning to construct and operate 2X300 MW coal-fired power plant in lieu of 2X150 coal-fired power plant earlier," Kalikasan party-list said in a statement.    Site development for the proposed P56-billion project is currently ongoing in Mount Redondo. A writ of Kalikasan is a constitutionally-mandated legal remedy for petitioners opposing development project because of their impact on the environmental.   Lawyer Terry Ridon, legal counsel of the petitioners, told GMA News Online Redondo Peninsula failed to do an environmental impact assessment in the area, which derailed due process.   According to the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, the assessment evaluates the likely impact of a project on the environment.   GMA News Online requested for a phone interview with AboitizPower, but was told that officials who can comment on the situation are having a meeting.   The power plant’s capacity upgrade to 600 MW from 150 is prohibited because – according to the firm's environmental compliance certificate (ECC) – Peninsula Energy can not expand their energy capacity without an environmental impact assessment, said Ridon.   “Hindi dapat pinayagan yung amendment kasi kung yung mismong ECC naglagay na siya ng restriction sa RP Energy that they cannot expand in the absence of an environmental impact assessment,” the lawyer noted.   With due process derailed, the project should be considered “null and void,” Ridon said.   Dirty coal   To an environmental organization in Subic, the problem is not the electricity supply the plant will generate but the use of coal as a “dirty source of energy.   "Wala kaming tutol sa kuryente. Kelangan natin ng kuryente. ‘Wag naman sana madumi yung gagamitin natin,” said Gregorio Magdaraog, convenor of Subic No-to-Coal Coalition.   The project, located within the Bataan-Zambales biogeographical zone, could damage the ocean, forest and endemic species around the area, noted Clemente Bautista of Kalikasan party-list.   He said the coal-fired plant is capable of releasing 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide – equivalent to 360,000 cars’ carbon emission.   Water emission from power plant could also damage the sea, Bautista added. — VS, GMA News