Cebuanos told to oppose power plant in Toledo

An economist is asking Cebuanos to oppose Mirant Global Corporation's proposal to build another power plant in Toledo City.

Maite Diokno has claimed that states such as California have already deserted Mirant because of its alleged bad track record.

She cited the recent study by Greenpeace, an environmental group that showed that emissions from Mirant's plant in Toledo are even more deadly than that of Salcon in Naga.

Last May, Greenpeace and Cebu Alliance for Renewable Energy took samples at the ash ponds of Salcon in Naga town and Mirant in Toledo city and submitted them to the Philippine Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry at the Ateneo de Manila University. Laboratory analysis showed that heavy metals found at the ash samples from Mirant are twice much higher than that from Salcon. Ash samples from Toledo Mirant plant contain chromium of 26 microgram per gram (ug/g), more than double that of Salcon with 12ug/g. Lead content of ash samples from Mirant were also found with 7.60ug/g, more than double than that of Salcon's with 2.40ug/g while mercury found in ash samples from Mirant is 0.14ug/g while Salcon has only 0.07ug/g.

The 2004 consolidated health report from the Toledo City health department revealed that respiratory-related diseases are among the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the locality.

The report said acute respiratory infection, acute bronchitis, viral influenza, among others are the top three leading causes of sickness in Toledo city totaling to 8,927 cases.

Diokno also cited the US Environmental Protection Agency show that Mirant owns some of the dirtiest power plants along the US east coast, emitting pollutants that cause smog, soot, and global warming. She said EPA also placed Mirant's coal plants as among the top 100 dirtiest power plants in 2001.

According to her, Mirant plants in the US and other parts of the world were already bankrupt. But in the Philippines, its plants are earning billions of pesos because it is enjoying tax holidays from the government.

"Mirant is a bankrupt US company that is using the Philippine's operations to sustain its company reorganization," she said.

In 2003, she said that Mirant filed for bankruptcy, claiming it was caused by its dubious involvement in the California energy crisis in 2000 and 2001.

"Mirant is giving false information to the investors. If Mirant is able to play game with big states like California, how much more with small provinces like Cebu, Iloilo, Aklan, and Luzon," Diokno said.

Mirant, the biggest independent power producer in the country, plans to add another 220-megawatt plant to expand its existing 75-megawatt plant in Toledo City.

Mirant Philippines Corp. and Global Business Holdings Inc. of the Metrobank Group will invest some $400 million or estimated P22.4 billion in the next five years for the expansion program of Toledo Power Plant and Pagbilao Power Plant in Quezon.

Like Salcon, its expansion is expected to be finished and operational by 2008 in time for the projected power crisis in Cebu. - Wenna A. Berondo