Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC) paused its plans for its 700-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant due to transmission restrictions caused by right-of-way (ROW) issues.
In a report by Business Mirror, SMPC president Maria Cristina Gotianun said that the firm had been dedicated to establishing this project through its non-operating subsidiary, St. Raphael Power Generation Corporation (SRPGC). However, legal hurdles like ROW from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) prompted the firm to reconsider.
Issues like right of way were some of the setbacks encountered by the NGCP, causing delays to project completion.
Transmission lines are considered crucial for the efficient operations of power plants. For this project, the transmission lines connect the planned power plant to the main grid, permitting its full activation.
The power units of the firm are being managed by SEM-Calaca Power Corporation (SCPC), which controls the Calaca coal-fired power plant in Batangas, with the two units offering 300 MW each, and Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corporation (SLPGC), which controls two 150 MW coal power plant, located in the same vicinity.
Gotianun also reported that SCPC Unit 2 is slated to function at its full capacity by the second half of 2024, offering around 300 MW. In 2023, the plant functioned at an average capacity of 175 MW.
Earlier SMPC expressed interest in investing in liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a potential source of energy.
The SMPC president said that the firm had been conducting ongoing studies to evaluate its feasibility, capital needs, and the price volatility of LNG.
