Power plant's coal runs low

Sunstar Cebu

CEBU CITY -- Raw coal supply for the power-generating operations of Kepco-Salcon Power Corp. (KSPC) are running low and an executive said the company has only enough coal in its stockyard to last until Wednesday.

But in a separate interview, Department of Energy (DOE) Visayas Director Antonio Labios assured that power supply in Metro Cebu and the rest of the region will not suffer.

The Visayan Electric Company (Veco), which supplies power from Liloan to San Fernando town in Cebu, does not have a contract with KSPC.

As of Monday, the orders for KSPC to stop hauling raw coal remained in effect.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and City of Naga Mayor Val Chiong, who issued the separate cease-and-desist orders last Friday, inspected the facilities on Monday. They were not fully satisfied with the mitigating measures the company took to curtail coal dust pollution.

"Today, we are operating with the coal that's available. The (latest shipment of) coal is still in the barge," said Engr. Antonio Corpuz, Salcon Power Corp. (SPC) senior vice president and chief operations officer.

Corpuz, speaking on behalf of KSPC officials, said he was told the raw coal left in the stockyard for generating power would last for a couple of days, or only until Thursday, March 31.

The first of two units of the KSPC plant has been fully operational since February. Its second unit has to undergo tests and will be available for commercial operations by the end of April.

Implications

Corpuz added there could be a delay in the schedule of operations, with the cease-and-desist orders still in place.

"Unless we reduce (power) load until Wednesday," said Corpuz, adding that KSPC officials will have to come up with a contingency plan.

"These (cease-and-desist orders) may have commercial implications. They (KSPC) have to explain to their customers," he said.

In a separate interview, Department of Energy Visayas Director Antonio Labios assured that power supply in the region would not be affected by the delay.

"We have not received any advice," Labios said.

Power supply to Metro Cebu will also not be affected. The Veco, which supplies power from Liloan to San Fernando, does not have a contract with KSPC.

The first unit of the coal-fired power plant operated and owned by KSPC is generating 50 megawatts. The second unit is still undergoing tests.

The two units of the new KSPC plant are expected to contribute a total of 186 megawatts of dependable or effective capacity to the Cebu-Negros-Panay Grid.

"For now, their contribution is not yet that substantial," he said.

Enough

At least 610 megawatts are expected from the KSPC plants and the new plants of the Cebu Energy Development Corp. and Global Business Power Corp. in Toledo City by next month, said Labios.

"We have enough power," he added.

Labios explained that the operations in a power plant are subject to the requirements of other government agencies and local governments.

But he is confident that KSPC will meet the requirements imposed by local governments.

The KSPC installed plastic sheets along the perimeter of the coal stockyard; the height of the coal pile and coal unloading drop height has been reduced; sprinklers are in place; the underground hopper casing has been enclosed; and a six-meter wind breaker at the seaside of the yard has been installed.

Corpuz told reporters that Governor Garcia was briefed on construction plans during the 45-minute closed-door meeting before the inspection.

Governor Garcia suggested during the inspection that company officials use three levels of long-span sheets or G.I. sheets to set up a six-meter-high cover at the sides of the yard.

Design

The original plan was to construct walls made of hollow blocks and concrete, which the governor pointed out would take time.

"We have to do it as soon as possible to allay fears of the people when there is discharging of coal," said Corpuz.

"The governor saw the scheme. What she is saying is to make modifications on the plan to shorten (the construction time)," he added.

Garcia led the inspection of the KSPC coal stockyard with Mayor Chiong and Provincial Planning and Development Office representatives.

"May I suggest that our engineers help in the design?" she told KSPC vice president Jong Wu Moon, who nodded.

Garcia suggested that local construction materials be purchased to speed up the construction process.

Go local

"We have to localize what is available, what is fast and still strong enough," she said.

Garcia also took note of the side fence of the coal yard, saying coal dust coming from the area would affect nearby residents.

She said the construction of a second coal stockyard should be suspended, pending the result of Tuesday's meeting of KSPC engineers with representatives from Capitol and Naga City.

Corpuz said KSPC voluntarily stopped construction, considering the design of the present stockyard is being modified.

The governor's case-and-desist order will remain in effect until she is satisfied with the way they have installed their walls.

She said she can't accept the two-month period the company initially requested, for them to secure their coal yard. Do it immediately, she said.

Provincial Engineer Eulogio Pelayre confirmed he will meet Tuesday with KSPC officials so they can give some advice on what materials to use.

The governor also told KSPC officials to start planting trees near the coal yard.

After the inspection, Corpuz told reporters the area of concern of the company in setting up the walls around the coal stockyard is the part of the site that faces the road.

The distance between the two posts holding up the yard roofing is 50 meters, so additional posts need to be constructed for the installation of the windbreakers.

"We must do the most practical, shortest way to address the wind," said Corpuz. (With Rizel S. Adlawan/Sun.Star Cebu)

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 30, 2011.