Moratorium May Exempt Coal Expansion Projects

The blueprinted expansion projects in coal-fired power installations are being mulled to be excluded from the coal moratorium declaration of the Department of Energy, according to Director Mario C. Marasigan of the agency’s Electric Power Industry Management Bureau.

- Myrna M. Velasco

He told reporters that coal expansion is among the key points of contention still being fleshed out in the Circular that the DOE will be issuing relative to the coal moratorium declaration.

The other ventures not covered by the moratorium are those that were classified “committed” projects; as well as the indicative projects that were already endorsed and had so far started groundwork at project sites.

“Our hierarchy is: the committed projects that already have endorsements, then we have committed and indicative projects that already have permits, endorsements and groundwork; then we are looking into the expansion projects of existing plants,” he noted, as to the scope of projects that shall not be covered by the moratorium.