Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Monday, November 21, that he has not been officially notified by San Miguel Corporation’s Reliance Energy Development Inc. (REDI) that it has withdrawn its plan to build a 300 MW liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.
“Personally I think it’s always a business decision just like when the company decided not to push through with a coal-fired power plant (in San Carlos) for certain reasons,” he said.
Lacson said it is up to the firm to make an official announcement.
Engineer William Cuñado, director of the Environment Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in a letter dated November 14 to the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development, said the proponent decided not to pursue its ECC application for the proposed 300MW LNG Combined Cycle Power Plant Project.
San Carlos Mayor Renato Gustilo also said REDI did not officially inform the city government about its withdrawal of its ECC application for a liquefied natural gas power plant.
“If their intention is to invest then we welcome them but if they decide not to do so that is their prerogative,” he said.
The firm had planned to build the plant on property SMC purchased in Barangay Punao, San Carlos City, Gustilo said.
They also did not inform the city government when they decided not to pursue the building of a coal-fired power plant in San Carlos, Gustilo said.*