Executive urges leaders to build island power plant

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY – A Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) official has urged the province’s political leaders to unite in establishing an on-island or embedded baseload power plant.

“It will really take a lot of political will,” said Frank Carbon, MBCCI Vice President for Governmental Affairs, on Tuesday to the Daily Guardian.

“We need at least 150 to 200 MW to meet our province’s baseload power requirement,” Carbon added.

He noted that Negros Occidental predominantly depends on Cebu, cautioning, “If we are cut off from Cebu, blackout ta di.”

Carbon described the power situation in Negros Occidental as volatile. “It’s volatile because we import all our power requirements. What if there’s nothing to import, just like rice?” he questioned.

He argued that having baseload power could prevent total blackouts, only resulting in rotating brownouts.

“If we’re discussing the embedded or on-island requirement, we only have 120 MW from Palinpiñon, with 60MW contracted to Cebu,” Carbon explained.

“If we’re disconnected from Cebu and Panay, we’d have 120MW from Palinpiñon and an additional 150MW from another on-island plant, if it exists,” he elucidated, emphasizing that this could circumvent total blackouts.

He remarked on the unreliability of solar and biomass energy for baseload power, as they are intermittent and seasonally limited, respectively.

“We need an embedded power source of 300 to 400 MW to cover our peak and intermediate needs. While we can import some of our power, the baseload must be secure,” he insisted.

Regarding possible power sources, Carbon suggested fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas.

Addressing the environmentalists’ opposition to fossil fuels, Carbon contended, “Environmentalists are not providing food and education for our poor populace.”

In response to the church’s resistance, Carbon expressed his disappointment, “But the church isn’t offering soup kitchens for you and me, yet they live in palaces… (what a shame).”