President Rodrigo Duterte has urged power operators to provide affordable energy and protect the environment, as he asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Energy to monitor the compliance of power generation companies with existing laws and regulations.
He said this Wednesday night during the ceremonial launch of the San Buenaventura 500-megawatt coal-fired power plant.
“Let me therefore take this opportunity to encourage everyone, especially the people behind San Buenaventura Power, to look especially behind the aspect of power generation,” Duterte said.
“And always keep in mind that beyond profits, your primary objective is to provide reliable and affordable electricity to our people,” he added.
In his speech, Duterte said he was pleased with the construction of the environment-friendly power generation facility which is seen to help in the development of communities in Mauban, Quezon, and augment the power supply demand in Luzon.
He said the success of the facility is a “testament” to the potential of the private sector to help the government in addressing deficiencies in energy generation and distribution across the country.
Duterte also assured private businesses that they can pursue more effective and efficient business strategies as long as they commit to protecting the environment and ensuring the welfare of host communities.
The power plant is the first of its kind in the country as it utilizes a high-efficiency, low-emissions coal technology.
