Coal bashing took the front seat at the House of Representatives on Saturday as two lawmakers took turns issuing statements against the allegedly pollution-causing fuel.
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Tomasito Villarin called for a review of the operation of power plants that use coal as well as applications for new ones.
“There must be a thorough review of all these applications for coal-fired power plants to include extensive environmental and social assessments on their impact,” Villarin said in a text message to reporters Saturday.
Villarin, an oppositionist, said “energy security or the demand of business for power should not be used as a justification to fast-track approval of applications.”
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, on the other hand, claimed that present technology is not yet capable of totally eliminating the harmful substances emitted by burning of coal.
While coal may be the cheapest source of electricity at present, Zarate said the health hazards it brings makes it more expensive in the long run because of the higher health care budget that will be needed in the future.
“Coal advocates say this is the cheapest form, but if we look at the health aspect, this will be more expensive in the long run because this isn’t clean energy,” Zarate, member of the Makabayan Bloc, said.
The biggest among the proposed coal-based power plants are the 1,200-megawatt Atimonan One Energy power plant, which was recently granted Energy Project of National Significance status by the Department of Energy; and the 670-MW Global Luzon Energy Development Corp. power plant in Luna, La Union.
Last year, Zarate filed House Resolution No.566 questioning the filing of the seven proposed Power Supply Agreements before the Energy Regulatory Commission.
These are Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc., which is applying for a 225-(MW) plant; St. Raphael Power Generation Corp. (400 MW); the Central Luzon Premiere Power Corp. (528 MW); the Mariveles Power Generation Corp. (528 MW); Panay Energy Development Corp. (70 MW); and the aforementioned A1E and GLEDC.