Re-testing of coal-fired plant to cause more power outages
The re-testing of the Panay Energy Development Corp.’s first boiler unit of its 164-megawatt coal-fired power plant starting tonight would require electricity resulting to longer power outages in Iloilo City.
But Gil Altamira, head of PEDC commercial division, could not ascertain how long the power interruptions will occur.
During weekdays, the Panay Electric Company (PECO), sole power distributor in Iloilo City, implements at least two-hour rotational brownouts.
In some instances, the power interruptions occur twice a day.
During the re-testing, PEDC will consume 8 to 10 megawatts electricity. “It will be deducted from the current load capacity of PECO,” he said in a press conference yesterday.
Anna Medina, corporate communications manager of the Global Business Power Corp., parent firm of PEDC, said the re-testing of PEDC boiler Unit 1 will commence at 10 p.m., with the re-firing.
Tomorrow, at around 10 a.m., the steam blowing will be undertaken. The testing will be terminated at 2 p.m. on the same day.
Henry Alcalde, PEDC vice president for Panay operations, said the re-testing process is shorter compared to the first test-firing on September 11 to 16 because it mainly seeks to find out if the foul odor smelled during the previous test firing and steam blowing indeed came from the plant.
The foul odor smelled supposedly after the test-firing downed several residents living near the plant, including school children.
“It’s not a cleaning process. The re-testing will be done for the benefit of everybody. We want to determine if the foul odor indeed came from the plant so we could put the issue to rest,” Alcalde said.
Alcalde had earlier said they will do the re-test at exactly at the same plant, using the same diesel fuel, and following the same process.
He said yesterday that if during the simulation test, a foul odor will again be smelled, they would immediately shut down the plant and do necessary mitigating measures.
Medina, for her part, said: “PEDC wishes to ensure the public that should there be any unusual occurrence, the company will immediately take the necessary steps to resolve any environmental issues that may arise.”*
