Bataan offered as site for coal plant in Subic

DINALUPIHAN, Bataan— Should stiff opposition in the nearby Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales stop the construction of a 600-megawatt coal plant there, the project would be welcome in Bataan, said Governor Enrique Garcia Jr.

He said a 600-MW coal plant by GN Power Co. Ltd. in Mariveles is under construction and will be online by 2012. He said he was aware of the strong opposition to the Subic coal plant proposed by a consortium of energy firms led by Aboitiz Power, Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and Taiwan Cogen Corp.

But unlike in Subic, “we’re open to discussion [with the proponents as an alternative site for the coal plant],” he said.

“Of course, we’re still going to conduct a study on the project because we put a premium on the environment in Bataan. But we’re open and the project is viable here,” he added.

Environment advocates, Zambales and Olongapo City officials and locators at the Subic Bay Freeport, especially those involved in tourism-related businesses, have opposed the project, citing the water and air pollution that they said would be generated by its operation.

They also assailed project proponents for the lack of proper consultations on the project.

Olongapo Mayor James Gordon Jr. earlier said the proponents should relocate the project because it was not welcome in the city.

Garcia, however, said concerns on environmental impact in Bataan due to the coal plant project in Mariveles have been addressed “because the technology that [GN Power] is going to use will minimize the pollution here.”

He said a housing project will also rise in the vicinity of the plant, “proving that it won’t cause significant pollution.”

He said the Mariveles coal plant will benefit Bataan because of “low electricity cost.”