Proponent assures environment-friendly coal power plant
Taiwan-based Formosa Heavy Industries Corp. (FHIC) vows to bring clean coal technology here in Iloilo City in the event the proposal for a coal-fired power plant is approved by the city government.
Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC), proponent of coal power plant in the city, will tap the technical expertise of FHIC in the project.
FHIC is a subsidiary of Formosa Plastics Group, Taiwan's biggest private enterprise engaged in various industries such as plastic manufacturing, paper making, textiles, petrochemicals, etc.
FHIC operates several coal-fired power plants in Taiwan with total installed capacity of 14,000 megawatts (MW) using clean coal technology. While FHIC's cogeneration plants generate electricity, steam and water for use by their various manufacturing plants, about three quarters of electricity produced is sold to the state-owned Taiwan Power Company.
Feng-In Hong, senior administrator of FHIC, told a group of journalists from Iloilo City that the company is committed to promote environmental protection and ensure that pollution control measures are properly implemented.
He said the company put up enormous investments in pollution control equipment to address environmental concerns like air quality, water quality, noise, solid waste, and safety.
Hong said through active devotion to research and development, FHIC has been successful in removing or, at the very least, minimizing nitrogen oxide (NOx) and Sulfur Oxide (SOx) and dust emissions in its coal power plants.
"It is our policy that equal emphasis be placed upon industrial development and environmental protection. We make it one of our top priorities that we not only conform to the national environmental standards, but also meet international standards," Hong stressed.
FHIC's cogeneration plant at Hwa Ya Industrial Park in Taoyuan City, Taiwan is located just beside a semiconductors factory owned by an American-German consortium.
Hong said if the power plant has dirty emissions the semiconductors factory would not have been there since semiconductors processing is very sensitive to dust particles.
FHIC also operates a coal-fired power plant in Zin-Shin which is situated at the back of a shopping mall.
Hong said the Taiwan government monitors the operation of all their plants by having direct access on their computerized control panels.
This is the government's way of ensuring that the coal plants do not exceed the required standard for emission levels, said Hong.
All of FHIC's coal power plants use an enclosed coal conveyor system, an electrostatic precipitator which catches solid particulates, continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS), continuous opacity monitoring system (COMS), waste water treatment facility and the latest circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler technology.
GBPC Vice President Engr. Adrian Moncada said, with the technical expertise of FHIC the Ilonggos can be assured of an environment-friendly coal power plant similar to that in Taiwan and also in FHIC's subsidiary, the Asia Power Energy Corporation in Mabalacat, Pampanga.
Moncada said GBPC, in partnership with FHIC, is eyeing a coal-fired power plant in the city to address the need for a reliable supply of electricity at a least cost.
He said they are proposing for a 100 MW coal power plant to augment the supply of Panay Power Corporation's existing diesel-fired power plant in the city.
Moncada said the coal plant will serve as baseload energy source for Panay Island including Iloilo City and Guimaras province while the existing 72 MW diesel power plant will be maintained as a peaking plant.
Moncada said the proposed coal-fired power plant will be installed at the vicinity of PPC in Brgy. Ingore, La Paz, Iloilo City.
He stressed that coal is presently the most viable solution to Panay's looming power crisis considering its technical feasibility and commercial viability.