CEBU CITY - Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said Friday the ongoing power outages can very well be addressed with the immediate operation of the two coal-fired power plants in the province that have been criticized by so-called environmentalist groups. "We really have a power shortage, and it is urgent that additional power be provided to the grid. That is why we are pushing for these two power plants to be fully operational in spite of all the noise and fury raised by certain people," Garcia told reporters.
She also announced that the power plant of the Korean Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) in Toledo City will have a test run on Oct. 28, providing the Cebu-Negros-Panay grid an additional 100 megawatts of power. She said environmentalists keep on harping on the dangers of coal-fired power plants and blocking moves to operate them, but they're not coming up with ways to improve the current power situation. If the operation of two power plants will continue to be delayed, Garcia said the power shortage situation in Cebu could only get worse, and the growth of the province could not be sustained in the long term. "But we will not allow such situation to happen," Garcia said, as she reiterated her stand in favor of the immediate operations of the two coal-fired power plants despite opposition from environmental groups. The environmental groups have been clamoring for the government not to use coal-fired power plants, but Garcia said none of these critics were able to present an alternative, efficient, and cost-effective source of power. The Capitol is also open to the possibility of tapping nuclear energy, which the governor described as the safest form of energy. Garcia earlier encouraged investors in the power industry to consider putting up a nuclear plant in Cebu to provide lasting solution to the power crisis in the Visayas grid. She said the province has been interested in renewable energy and other forms of energy to address the power crisis now hitting Cebu and the rest of the provinces under the Visayas grid. "We are encouraging power industry players to consider putting up nuclear power plants in Cebu," said Garcia as she took notice of Korea's nuclear power plant, which is similar to the nuclear power plant in Bataan, as an example of an effective and long-term power solution to the crisis. In the Philippine-Russia Business Forum to be held in Cebu later this month, a company involved in the production of nuclear power plants will be joining the Russian delegation.
