Maasim, Saranggani
January 26, 2017
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte led the ceremonial switch-on of the first 105-megawatt (MW) section and the kick-off ceremony of the second 105 MW section of the Sarangani Energy Corporation Power Plant (SECPP) in Maasim, Saranggani.
The coal fired power plant’s first 105 MW section began its operations last April 2016 and is currently providing electricity to the provinces of Sarangani, Compostela Valley, Agusan del Norte, and Agusan del Sur, as well as in the cities of General Santos, Iligan, Bayugan, Butuan, Tagum, and Samal, plus some key municipalities in Davao del Norte and South Cotabato.
SECPP’s second 105 MW section will commence construction in the first half of 2017 and is targeted to start operating by 2019.
When the SECPP reaches its full 210 MW capacity, the plant would be able to provide electricity to the entire provinces of South Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur and key areas of Misamis Oriental and North Cotabato.
During the event, President Duterte led the traditional breaking of the wooden Sake barrel (Kagami Biraki), symbolizing harmony and good fortune.
In his speech, the President justified the government’s support towards coal fired power plants. “We would like to have a clean planet but that would be impossible to insist on it because civilization needs to have light, so you strike a happy balance. But for as long as the most viable fuel is coal and cheapest so that the power can also be delivered energy to the people at much lower price, then we don’t have any other alternative except to upgrade the technology to its fullest, to limit anything that starts, whatever machine, will always have a pollution,” he said.
“We allowed coal to come in because that is the cheapest,” President Duterte added.
The President was joined in the event by Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Sarangani Energy Corporation Chairman Tomas Alcantara, Senator Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Pacquiao, several foreign dignitaries, financial institution partners, and local government officials of the province.
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