Circular on coal plant ban out soon

THE Department of Energy (DoE) is finalizing the guidelines that will outline the scope of the ban on new coal power plants in the Philippines.

In October, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi announced the agency would no longer accept new endorsement applications for greenfield coal power plants or those coal facilities that are yet to be constructed.

“The circular is still being edited. I approved the draft and it’s being edited,” said Cusi.

The applications being processed by the DoE are those committed power projects included in the Philippine Energy Plan.

The agency is also including the “retirement of old power plant… matching of the replacement of the power that will be lost because of the retirement,” he told reporters.

Cusi noted all factors, not just the age or efficiency of power plants, will be taken into consideration. “We will consider all we need the power, so it cannot just be arbitrary.”

Sought for more information, Mario Marasigan, director of the DoE’s Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, said nothing is final yet as to what power plants will be covered by the moratorium.

“We’re still completing simulations. May existing projects na may proposed na expansion projects (Certain power plants have proposed expansion projects),” said Marasigan.

“We have to determine if yung expansion projects are really part of original plan at hindi mga bago na gusto lang makalibre sa moratorium natin (We have to determine if these expansion projects are really part of the proponent’s original plan and if these are not new projects that the proponent just wants to be excluded from the moratorium),” he explained.

Marasigan said that before the Energy department finalizes the policy, they would need to look into committed and indicative projects that have already secured permits and endorsements, and have undertaken groundworks.

“Then we’re looking at expansion projects ng mga (of the) existing plants,” he said. “Hindi namin alam gaano kalaki ang involved, iyon naman yung mga indicative na halos hindi pa gumagalaw (We do not yet the total capacity of committed and indicative projects, as well as those with expansion plans. The indicated power projects have little to no progress).”