‘Toledo power plant is environment friendly’

Local

AMID growing concerns from environmental protection groups, a coal-fired power plant has stressed the use of advanced technology to minimize its environmental impact.

Advocates have raised alarm over the potential risks posed by the plant, which sits close to a vital marine biodiversity area. Still, the company behind the project insists that its state-of-the-art systems ensure a cleaner and safer operation.

Noel Cabahug, Vice President for Facilities Visayas of Therma Visayas Inc. (TVI), revealed on Friday, September 20, that the facility in question is TVI’s 340-megawatt coal-fired power plant located in Barangay Bato, Toledo City.

Operated by TVI, a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power, the plant utilizes Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) technology, which Cabahug claimed provides a more efficient and environmentally friendly process compared to older coal power systems.

"This is a new technology... we call this CFB technology. It’s very efficient. All residue is converted into ash, so there's no major impact on the environment," he said.

CFB technology functions by suspending solid fuels in a bed of hot particles, allowing for more complete combustion at lower temperatures. This process reduces the emission of harmful gasses such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, which are known contributors to air pollution and acid rain.

Cabahug also addressed public misconceptions about the emissions coming from the plant.

"What you're seeing is not smoke. It's steam," he clarified, referring to the white plumes often seen rising from the plant.

He explained that the facility uses large cooling towers, and the visible emissions are simply water vapor, not pollutants.

To ensure environmental safety, Cabahug explained that the plant is equipped with an Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP), a device designed to filter and capture particulate matter.

"We have equipment that filters the dust," he said, noting that the dust collected is converted into ash. This ash, far from being waste, is recycled and supplied to cement manufacturers or used in local community initiatives to create bricks.

According to Cabahug, these innovations help significantly reduce the plant's environmental footprint, ensuring it complies with strict regulations and safety standards.

Despite these assurances, numerous environmental groups, youth organizations, and religious leaders have voiced concerns over the plant’s location, given its proximity to the protected Tañon Strait.

The strait, a crucial marine biodiversity hotspot, is the country’s second-largest marine protected area and is home to various species of marine mammals, including dolphins and whales.

On Wednesday, several groups staged a press conference to express their alarm over the plant's operations.

Bishop Gerry Alminaza of the Diocese of San Carlos, a vocal advocate for environmental protection, criticized the decision to allow energy projects in such sensitive areas.

"At a time when the Earth is calling for protection, our leaders are moving backward. Tañon Strait, one of the largest protected areas in the Philippines, sustains millions of lives. How can we declare it a protected area and still issue permits for projects that harm it?" Alminaza said.

The environmental concerns surrounding the plant are not new. Advocates from the islands of Negros and Cebu have long pushed back against coal-fired power plants near the Tañon Strait, launching the "Save Tañon Strait" campaign to draw attention to the potential threats posed by such projects.

The Tañon Strait Protected Seascape, spanning over 5,182 square kilometers, has been safeguarded under Presidential Proclamation 1234 since 1998, which bans commercial fishing within its waters.

Environmental advocates argue that permitting a coal-fired plant near this ecologically sensitive area is inconsistent with its protected status.(MyTVCebu)