Philippine Daily Inquirer / 06:20 AM
January 25, 2018
SUBIC, Zambales — The consortium
that would build a 600-megawatt coal-fired power plant at Subic Bay Freeport
said the project had been vetted by regulators and government environmental
agencies.
Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc. (RP
Energy) said it had secured “all necessary regulatory approvals and permits
from concerned government agencies, including a permit from the Civil Aviation
Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) after a thorough due diligence and a
stringent review process.”
The firm was referring to a height
clearance permit CAAP issued which allowed RP Energy to put up a 144-meter dual
smokestack for the power plant on top of a 10.68-meter elevated area.
On Tuesday, Subic environmentalists
filed a new petition in the Court of Appeals seeking to stop the project due to
its potential impact on the health of residents.
RP Energy is composed of the Manila
Electric Co., the Aboitiz Group of Companies and Taiwan Cogen Inc. It has a
50-year lease development agreement with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority for
the use of 38 hectares of land in the free port.
“RP Energy reassures our
stakeholders that the company will continuously uphold the highest standards of
safety, health and environment throughout the course of project development,
construction and eventual operations,” the consortium said.
Members of environmental groups from
Zambales province and residents of Olongapo City on Tuesday staged a
“solidarity walk” in Manila before the Subic Bay Freeport Chamber for Health
and Environment Conservation filed a petition against RP Energy, CAAP, and the
Department of Transportation.
The petitioners asked the appeals
court to issue a temporary restraining order or a writ of preliminary
injunction to stop the construction and cancel RP Energy’s height clearance
permit. —Allan Macatuno
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