DENR 6 warns coal plant of raps if violations found
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources 6 has warned the Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) of charges if its investigating team finds proofs of violations related to the foul smell emitted by the coal-fired power plant in Brgy. Ingore, La Paz, Iloilo City last Thursday.
The warning came as DENR 6 Executive Director Julian Amador ordered the PEDC, an affiliate of Global Business Power Corp., to temporarily stop its dry-run after residents of villages around the plant complained of the offensive odor.
Almost 70 pupils of Ticud Elementary School felt sick after inhaling the foul odor. They were reported to have headaches and stomach pains, and even vomited.
After receiving a letter from Ingore village head Ernie Poral on Thursday afternoon, Amador directed the Environmental Management Bureau to check the plant’s operations.
When EMB personnel visited the 164-megawatt plant the next day, the foul smell was gone as the PEDC management explained they were just doing “steam blowing” at that time.
Still, Amador said he wanted the plant to stop its dry-run because of the complaints, and only continue with its operation once it could assure the residents nearby that the foul odor will stop.
During the check, the EMB personnel conducted a smoke sampling test to determine if the plant has gone beyond the emission standards.
Ticud Elementary School officer-in-charge Jose Marie Osano, for her part, said the school just wants the coal plant management to remedy the problem for them to reach a “win-win situation.”*
