Alcantaras eye renewable energy projects in Visayas, Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines - Conal Holdings Corp. (CHC), the power generation unit of the Alcantara family, will put up several renewable energy projects in the Visayas and Mindanao with a combined capacity of 100 megawatts (MW).

Joseph Nocos, CHC vice president for business development, said these projects are indicative of the company’s commitment to tap renewable sources of energy for power generation.

“We are developing hydro projects with a potential total capacity of around 100 MW,” he said.

Nocos said they are currently wrapping up feasibility studies on the three-tier 17-MW mini-hydropower plant along Siguel River. CHC is also looking into the possibility of building a hydroelectric power station along the Kalaong River in Maitum, Sarangani.

Based on their initial study, the Kalaong River could generate as much as 30 MW of electricity, he said.

CHC is likewise developing a 40-MW hydropower project along Bago River and another 12-MW hydropower plant along Carol-an River, both in Negros Occidental.

The CHC executive also defended the company from accusations that burning coal in its proposed $450-million power plant project in Maasim, also in Sarangani, “will cause deleterious effects and will pollute the air.”

An environmentalist group earlier claimed that the plant will cause acid rain, aggravate asthma and poison aquatic life due “to radioactive materials such as uranium and thorium.”

But Nocos explained that the power plant to be built in Maasim will make use of the latest in circulating fluidized bed technology.

“This will ensure that the sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions of the power station will be substantially below the limits prescribed by the Clean

Air Act, guaranteeing that the operation of the plant will be clean and safe for the environment,” he said.

“Examples of the type of power plant that we are going to build are in operation all over the world, none of which have caused acid rain, aggravated asthma, and poisoned aquatic life due to thorium and mercury, he added.

“Our coal-fired power plant in Maasim is the most economic response to the prevailing power crisis in Mindanao. Without it going on commercial stream in the latter part of 2012 or early part of 2013, the region could suffer from prolonged power interruptions,” the power firm executive added.

Nocos also explained that it will take at least three years to construct a power plant with a capacity of 200 MW.

“Counting the research and development period, it will take a total of at least five years before one could build a power station,” he said.

CHC was granted an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) in April and construction of the 200-MW coal-fired power project will likely commence towards the end of the first quarter next year.