Duterte on coal plant: Wait

DAVAO CITY—A top supporter of a planned coal-fired power plant here is taking a second look at the project, expressing apprehension over reports that the plant would be using fresh water, not sea water, for its operations.

Rodrigo Duterte, former mayor and now vice mayor, said he became apprehensive about the project after learning that it would use fresh water.

“I was made to understand that they will be using sea water,” Duterte said yesterday.

The plant site sits on Binugao, an area in Toril District that is one of the city’s aquifers, or sources of fresh water.

Duterte said his fear over the loss of fresh water in Binugao was the same reason that drove him to suspend a resolution approving a reclassification of the area into an industrial zone.

Binugao is currently classified as a protected medium industrial and protected open space easement zone.

“I am sorry to delay the project but there are things that need to be addressed,” he said.

Duterte said his previous strong support for the project was anchored on the belief that it would help solve an impending power crisis.

“But it’s a different matter when the fresh water of Davao will be compromised,” he said.

Based on data from plant proponents, the coal-fired plant would need more than 500 million cubic meters of water per year to cool its generators.

Duterte said proponents never said they would bore wells to supply water to the plant. The city council, he said, was made to believe that water for the plant would come from the sea.

“This is fresh water we are talking about. This is a supply that is intended for the next generation Dabawenyos,” he said.

Jeffrey Tupas, Inquirer Mindanao