CEBU CITY – The city government is bent on proceeding with the joint venture agreement it signed in 2022 with a private energy firm that would implement a PHP4.8 billion waste-to-energy (WTE) project, an official said Friday.
Councilor Joel Garganera said the application of New Sky Energy (Philippines), Inc. for permits to build the WTE facility had been submitted to the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
“They (New Sky) asked for additional time as we experience hitches as the DOE was not receiving applications for five months,” Garganera said, adding that the project should have been in the pre-construction stage by now.
The DENR, on the other hand, has yet to lift the suspension on receiving applications for environmental compliance certificates for projects in protected areas after the controversy in Chocolate Hills in Bohol a few months ago.
Despite the challenges, the city is firm in its decision to proceed with the project, which aims to solve the garbage problem and at the same time, augment the local electric power needs.
He added that they are just waiting for the go signal of DOE and DENR and are ready to proceed with the construction.
The city government and New Sky signed a JVA to construct the WTE facility in September 2022.
The plant will combust waste to produce electricity.
Garganera, chairman of the City Council’s committee on environment, said the facility is a long-term solution to the city’s perennial garbage problem.
Apart from maintaining the city’s cleanliness, it will also get a share in the revenue from the facility.
In the JVA, New Sky will manage the facility for the first 40 years before being completely turned over to the Cebu City government. (PNA)