Ikinadismaya ng Center for Energy, Ecology and Development ang pagbibigay ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources ng Environmental Compliance Certificate sa pinaplanong 15-megawatt coal-fired power plant ng DMCI Power Corp. ng mga Consunji sa kabila ng pagtutol ng ilang apektadong komunidad.

Anila’y kinakailangan ng basbas ng pamayanan ang isang proyekto bago ito mabigyan ng ECC.

“This coal-fired powe­r plant has long been contested as it will surely damage the ecosystem enjoyed by communities in the area, along with their health, livelihood, and surrounding biodiversity,” saad ng CEED.

Dagdag pa ng grupo, hindi maganda ang track record ng DMCI sa larangan ng elektrisidad sa isla dahil hindi nito nasusunod ang 25-MW na guaranteed depen­dable capacity ng power supply agreement nito sa Palawan Electric Cooperative.

“This failure should be basis enough for the rejection of its proposed project. Moreover, va­rious studies have shown that solar, wind, and micro-hydro dams would provide much chea­per sources of energy for Palawan,” dagdag pa ni CEED executive director Gerry Arances.

Iginiit pa ng CEED na binigyan ng energy pro­ject of national significance status ang DMCI power kaya’t nahahakbangan nito ang ilang proseso sa pagkuha ng mga permit base sa Executive Order No. 30. (Eileen Mencias)