Korean investors eye coal-fired power plant in Surigao City ~ SURIGAO Today

Korean investors eye coal-fired power plant in Surigao City

Korean investors have expressed interest to build a coal-fired power plant in this city, Mayor Ernesto T. Matugas said.

In a press conference recently held at the city hall, Matugas said he recently met the investors in Manila and they told him they plan to put up a coal-fired mega-power plant here.

But the mayor said a 300-megawatt power plant might be too huge, adding a 30-megawatt capacity is ideal for the city’s power needs.

He said he will see to it that the planned power plant would not harm the environment.

Environmentalists have repeatedly warned against the ill-effects of coal-fired power plants on the environment and human health.

Matugas further announced that American and Japanese investors are set to build a $21-million tuna cannery plant in the city.

The Crystal Corporation will release an initial amount of $8 million for the construction which will start either within the year or early next year, he said.

“Their target is eight months to finish after the start of construction,” he said.

The mayor said the state-of-the-art tuna cannery will generate 2,500 to 3,000 jobs once it becomes starts to operate.

He said he also talked to three mining firms that wanted to invest here.

He added a hotelier based in Davao City wanted to open a branch in the city.

Matugas said the investors have made inquiries at his office on the requirements for their proposed area of investments and conducted site inspections.

He said he has asked the support of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in order to boost the local economy.

City Administrator Balgamelo Ma told MindaNews that the proposed tuna cannery plant will be put up along the city’s coastal area. (Roel N. Catoto/MindaNews)

6 comments:

claufenc said...: wow... this will give Surigaonons reason of going home...

Actually there are a lot of Suigaonons skilled workers but they just go to other cities because they can't find jobs there...

If this will be realized, I's one of the many to nga muuli...

yeheyy....; September 21, 2010 at 7:37 AM
Anonymous said...: For sure there is an underlying reason that is humongous with the Korean offer to set-up a Coal fired plant in surigao??!!
As Surigaonons, we have to be wary with these kind of "expressed interest" (bagan arang sab anhi ka sincere nan mga koryano)purportedly for surigao when why in the world, they never build one in their own backyard??!!
If there is interest in generating one that is eco-friendly and "GREEN", it's mainit lake... a hydroelectric plant and water reservoir to address the lack of water supply for the city and for future generations in and around the province while at the same time, control the perenial flooding that occurs every so often... three projects in one that fits the saying hitting three birds (not two) with one stone.
SURIGAONONS please, let us remind ourselves with the quite insignificant yet very interesting case circa 1950's that happened in Lanao( A story) about the cattle rustler who got caught red-handed...his explanation (or alibi) was that he was just trying to pull the rope he saw on his way to another town for his own use and not knowing that a carabao was in the far end of the rope!!! imagine!! Surigaonon, be VIGILANT!!! before it's too late...; September 21, 2010 at 8:02 AM
Anonymous said...: How can a state-of-the-art cannery justify 2,500 - 3000 jobs that could be generated?!! it has to be huge!! i mean really, really huge! or the technology state-of-the-art is a farce...does surigao have a secret unlimited 'tuna-producing-fish species that we know exist in our surrounding seas? and can resupply them overnight?or weekly? or monthly? constantly? or we can produce what the world demands and spoof the operations right after? meaning 2,300 - 3,000 jobless? that remains to be seen.... i've been to canneries in Alaska, saw documentaries on TV of various canneries but most if not all are seasonal because no specific fish by volume is created to do that, it has to spawn, respawn, grow , mature to a specific size before getting harvested or it becomes extinct!! and what follows? we humans will also become extinct...or maybe we are exaggerating here...; September 21, 2010 at 8:59 AM
Anonymous said...: The Koreans are speculating that if mineral refineries are to be operated in nononc and elsewhere in surigao there will be a huge demand in power, also power demand in the growth of other industries.

To answer why of all the many green energy technology available like geothermal and wind, it has to be coal which is highly pollutive, because it is very cheap and coal is a resource found almost anywhere in the Philippines.

here is a link from the department of energy http://www.doe.gov.ph/FAQ%27S/coal.htm

If the price of development is the pollution of our land and air, and if this is inevitable i wish they will at least use clean coal technologies and not pollute the air like pacemco.; September 21, 2010 at 5:14 PM
Anonymous said...: ...and Korea and the koreans have that state-of-the-art clean coal technology to provide surigao?!...in other words we will be building railroad tracks in and around mindanao to get all the coal needed to fire this powerplants? (another elephant Loan?! to bury as in debt??) all i know and particularly aware of, is that these plants are huge fuel guzzlers!! (the process is to convert water to steam, which in turn will run the turbine that will churn the generators which wil produce the electricity, a thre stage energy efficient back in the fifties but not today)... To mine the fuel is highly hazardous to health and safety no matter what and how you look at it, secondly, while the argument of producing the power to supply the demand, as the koreans are "speculating" is cheaper this way, the process of not polluting the environment (hence, all the health issues the we have to contend, agonize, bear and deal with)and the collateral cost (actuarial risk) is not a given data...the prerequisites and course of action is a daunting task i'm sure everyone who partook in this endeavor will outright wash their own hands like pontius pilate and leave us with a dilemma analogous to a fastidious and belligerent teen out to prove to the world that he is invincible... surigao translation... 'an tanan kasakit na inhuyog sa langit kita na mga surigaonon ato gajod dajon tamokon'... pag ka pa-it tunlon!!; September 21, 2010 at 11:23 PM
Anonymous said...: So Koreans are "speculating" about planned re-opening of refineries, etc.....isn't that very exciting? i smell something fishy here, imagine making huge investments ($$$millions) and yet only to speculate!!! in Doris Day's song of yesteryears..Que sera,sera, whatever will be, will be...or in Las Vegas..."Place your bets", sa sinurigaonon, "bana-bana" get my point? ...Hello! we cannot afford speculations here... if no one is sure of what to do, and no long range plan with definite set of goals are/is in order, then Surigaonons must unite and wake up to the reality, that come election time people must vote and choose - no longer 'elect' as the word is too soft - candidates who have visions for a "GOOD" Surigao (for 'better' is too much to ask and often times burst like bubbles) and not be held captive/hostage to empty promises and vote buy-outs that only aggravate its present situation...REMEMBER THE SAYING A FISH CAN BE CAUGHT FROM ITS OWN MOUTH...and this is really true when speculating...; October 4, 2010 at 12:31 AM

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