New Naga City power plants may still take a year

CEBU, Philippines - Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong yesterday said that it may take at least a year for the construction of the planned new power plants in the city to start due to certain prerequisites.

“For now, feasibility study pa. But I heard padung na sila mo-engage for bidding. After the study, which is around one year, magsugod na og construct,” said Chiong.

He said the study would see whether the new plants will be economically advantageous to Salcon Power Corporation.

Chiong also reiterated his stand against the rehabilitation of the old coal-fired power plants at the National Power Corporation complex, saying it is not healthy for the Nagahanons and their environment.

Last June, Chiong and hundreds of city residents trooped to the NPC plant to protest SPC’s purported plan to rehabilitate the 30-year-old power facilities instead of getting new ones.

As of the moment, SPC is rehabilitating its Cebu Diesel Power Plant and gas turbines while waiting for the two 100-megawatt power plants to replace it.

The firm gained ownership of the Naga Power Plant facilities when it outbid Therma Power Visayas Inc.’s bid.

Once everything is set, the complex will have two thermal power plants and one diesel-fired one, which is said to use coal, bunker oil, and diesel to fire it.

The NPC complex had two coal-fired power plants, but after three decades of operation, their generation capacity went down from 50MW and 55MW to 14MW and 30MW, respectively. — Liv G. Campo/ATO (FREEMAN)