By Juzel L. Danganan
MANILA, June 28 (PNA) — Meralco-led Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc. (RP Energy) is planning to shrink its power capacity from 600 Megawatts (MWs) to 300 MW, due to some constraints on the transmission lines.
“For the Subic-based project, we might have to change the project parameters , might have to drop around 300 MW. There were issues on the transmission line connection to the grid — it’s quite far,” Manila Electric Company (Meralco) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Manny Pangilinan told reporters in its recent Technology and Innovation Summit.
He noted the distance was incurred by the forested areas, which will have to be passed by the transmission lines, but cannot with the laws.
Pangilinan said the ideal transmission line should pass through areas occupied by indigenous people and some pockets of reserved areas.
The contractor for the project will likely be Mitsubishi-Daelim.
Among Meralco’s partners on the project are Aboitiz’s Therma Power Incorporated and Taiwan Cogeneration International Corporation.
Last February 3, the project was approved by the Supreme Court (SC) to continue with its planned capacity of 600 MWs.
It was stalled due to a “Writ of Kalikasan” case, which was penned in 2010, when it was nearing its financial close in 2012. It protects the constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology.
The project was put-on-hold after Kabataan party list Representative Raymond Palatino and some local groups filed a case against the power plant, citing environmental damage.
The Supreme Court forwarded the case to the Court of Appeals (CA) to give out the judgement, which it gave in Jan 2013, deciding in favour of the petitioners.
RP Energy appealed yet again to the CA on May 2013, but denied the request.
On July 2013, Meralco filed another appeal through a Motion for Review to the Supreme Court. (PNA)