Iligan SP, NGOs, POs, Barangay officials visit STEAG Plant
The Iligan Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Energy together with Barangay Officials of Kiwalan, Acmac and Santa Felomina and some officers and members of non-government and people’s organizations visited the Plant of STEAG State Power Corporation in Villanueva Misamis Oriental this week to give the Sanggunian a clearer appreciation of a coal-fired power plant.
ILIGAN CITY — The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Committee on Energy together with Barangay Officials of Kiwalan, Acmac and Santa Felomina and some officers and members of non-government and people’s organizations visited the Plant of STEAG State Power Corporation in Villanueva Misamis Oriental last very recently.
According to SP Committee on Energy Chairman Councilor Ariel P. Anhay, the visit was part of his Committee’s activities intended to give the Council a clearer appreciation of a coal-fired power plant.
Pending before the SP is a request of PowerSource Philippines Energy, Inc. (PPEI) for issuance of a “Resolution of No Objection” for the establishment of the Coal plus Biomass (co-fired) Power Plant inside the compound of LAFARGE Cement in Kiwalan, Iligan City, it was learned.
A Briefing made by an employee of STEAG revealed that the Plant has two coal-fired generating units each producing 110 megawatts and supplying a total of 210 megawatts to the Mindanao grid.
It was observed that trees and vegetation around the Plant were verdant and healthy.
The visits saw no sign of pollution.
It was learned that the Plant Operation since eight years ago has an excellent zero accident and zero security incident record.
The Company has extended various social programs such as scholarships, livelihood training programs, community-health services to the surrounding communities.
It has also planted trees on 1,400 hectares of land in the adjoining communities.
It was also learned that the Plant observes international environmental standards and a Community Monitoring Team is in place to regularly monitor the environmental condition within a radius of 2 kilometers from the Plant.
Sea water used as coolant for steam rising after turning the blades of the turbine are returned to the sea after the temperature is reduced to not more than 2 degrees centigrade higher than sea temperature.
Accordingly, the Monitoring team has found no adverse effects on the marine resources near the Plant.
Undersea pictures showing corals and healthy marine life were shown to the visitors.
With Councilor Anghay were Councilors Alfredo Busico, Roy Openiano and Usafeno Obial, NGO and PO representatives and 14 members of Iligan Media.
