La Union power station
{{#badges:CoalSwarm|Navbar-Philippinescoal}}La Union power station is a proposed 2 x 335-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant in Luzon, Philippines.
Contents
Location
The map below shows the proposed plant site between Carisquis and Nalvo Sur in La Union Province, Luzon Island.
Background on plant
It was reported in May 2016 that GT Capital Holdings Inc. owner George Ty would build a 2 x 335 MW plant in La Union. According to the report, the sponsor, Global Luzon Energy Development Corp., has signed an agreement with Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) for the output of the plant. Construction would begin in the third quarter of 2018 and operation would be in the first quarter of 2022. No environmental compliance certificate had been received.[1] Approval for further study of the project was issued in July 2016.[2]
Local elected officials have generally supported the project. Luna Municipality mayor Victor Marvin Marron has stated that the project was "introduced properly by highly recognized engineers and scientists."[3]
In November 2016, GT stated that it hoped to complete environmental permitting in early 2017, to begin construction in Q3 2018, and to bring the plant online in Q1 2022.[4] As of May 2017, GT was still waiting for approval by the Energy Regulatory Commission.[5]
In June 2017, GT awarded a contract for engineering services to Finnish firm Pöyry.[6]
In December 2017 GLDEC said construction of the project will start in the third quarter of 2018 after the Environmental Compliance Certificate will be issued. The company plans for the plant to be completed in the first quarter of 2021 and fully operational in the first quarter of 2022. The estimated cost of the project is P80 billion.[7]
In October 2018 the project was given an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) by the DENR.[8] Opponents of the plant protested that this permit had been issued without the required environmental impact statement (EIS).[8]
In May 2019 the Supreme Court of the Philippines invalidated the plant's Power Supply Agreements (PSA's) because they had not gone through a competitive selection process (CSP), delaying development of the plant. In all seven plants owned by Meralco or contracting with Meralco had their PSA's invalidated by the ruling.[9]
Opposition
In December 2016, the Koalisyon Isalbar ti Pintas ti La Union (Coalition to Save the Beauty of La Union) was formed to oppose the project. Project supporters have accused opponents of being "misinformed," given that "all concerns on health and environment issues will be addressed properly."[3][10] The Coalition raised concerns about the health and environmental impacts of the project at a December 2017 hearing and reiterated these concerns at a protest and prayer walk in March 2018.[11] The Coalition also object to the fact that, while the project received a majority of support of the residents in five villages around the proposed 41-hectare site, the views of residents of other nearby villages that would be affected by nitrous dioxide from the plant were "excluded or ignored."[11]
In July 2018 residents and environmental groups Save Luna and Koalisyon Isalbar ti Pintas ti La Union (Save the Beauty of La Union Coalition) staged a protest of the plant in San Fernando, La Union. Protestors claimed that local residents and a member of the technical review committee that reviewed proposals for the plant had been harassed and pressured to support the plants. Protestors also said that the plant's massive intake of seawater for its operations would deplete the local seabed of nutrients, and that the impact on global warming should have been considered as part of its environmental impact statement.[12]
In July 2019 the town of San Gabriel, La Union passed a resolution in opposition to the construction of coal-fired plants. San Gabriel is adjacent to the proposed site of the plant between the villages of Carisquis and Nalvo Sur.[13]
Project Details
- Sponsor: Global Luzon Energy Development Corp.
- Parent company: Global Business Power Corp., owned by GT Capital Holdings
- Location: Barangay Carisquis, Luna Municipality, La Union Province, Luzon, Philippines
- Coordinates: 16.835881, 120.342465 (exact)
- Status: Permitted
- Gross Capacity: 670 MW (2 x 335 MW)
- Type: Supercritical[3]
- Projected in service: 2022
- Coal Type:
- Coal Source: Indonesia and other countries[14]
- Source of financing:
Articles and resources
References
- ↑ Alena Mae S. Flores, "Coal plant rising in La Union," Manila Standard, May 24, 2016
- ↑ Private Sector Initiated Power Projects (Luzon) - Indicative, Philippines Department of Energy, 30 Apr. 2017.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 La Union folks oppose coal-fired power plant, Manila Bulletin, 10 Dec. 2016.
- ↑ GBPP to build La Union coal plant], Manila Standard, 24 Nov. 2016.
- ↑ GBPC plots Luzon, Mindanao expansion to double capacity, Philippine Star, 24 May 2017.
- ↑ Pöyry awarded engineering services assignment for EPC Selection of GLEDC's supercritical power plant in the Philippines, Pöyry press release, 5 June 2017.
- ↑ P80-B modern coal power plant to rise in La Union, Northbound Philippines, Dec. 13, 2017
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 DENR issues ECC for La Union coal plant project, Rappler, Nov. 3, 2018
- ↑ Averting a potential power crisis, PhilStar, Jul. 10, 2019
- ↑ Coal-Free La Union, Facebook, accessed June 2017.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Big rally set vs P80-B coal-powered plant, Manila Times, Mar. 25, 2018
- ↑ Coal plant project in La Union sparks protests, Rappler, Jul. 28, 2018
- ↑ Another La Union town says no to coal plants, Living LaudatoSi', Jul. 24, 2019
- ↑ EIS Summary for the Public in English, Global Luzon Development Corporation, November 2017
