A document from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said San Miguel Corp. (SMC), through its power generation subsidiary SMC Global Power Holdings Corp., is planning to put up two coal-fired power plants with a total capacity of 2,130 megawatts (MW) at a project cost of P200 billion.
According to notices of public scoping uploaded in the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau website, the two projects are being eyed to operate in Pagbilao, Quezon and will utilize high-efficiency low emission technologies.
The first project will be developed under Central Luzon Premiere Power Corp. with a capacity of 4í—355 MW in a 75 hectares area. The project costs P140 billion and its projected construction period is from August 2020 to July 2026.
Commercial operations of its first unit is expected by November 2024.
The other project will be built through Lumiere Energy Technologies Inc. with a capacity of 2x355MW in a 10 hectares area. It will cost P60 billion and its estimated construction period is from July 2021 to November 2025.
Last year, Ramon Ang, SMC president and chief operating officer, announced his intention to complete 1,200 MW of renewable energy sources by 2024 but said development of clean coal technology power plants are still crucial.
“Our approach to addressing the country’s power needs has always been to maintain a diversified portfolio of traditional and renewable energy sources. All new facilities that we will build will utilize the latest, cleanest and safest coal combustion technology. These are no longer the coal plants of old that burn so much fuel and emit so much pollution,” Ang said.
