Panay power plants temporarily bar non-essential workers from entering site

ILOILO CITY — Global Business Power Corp. (GBP) temporarily barred non-essential workers residing in a village from entering its coal-fired power plant and diesel plant in this city after one of its personnel had contact with someone suspected to have coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“This is only a precautionary measure,” said GBP Vice President for Panay Operations Engr. Nilo Madrid.

The no-work-on-site, which took effect June 20, only covers nonessential workers who are residents of Ingore village.

Madrid explained to the Manila Bulletin that a resident of Ingore village tested positive for COVID-19 in a rapid test, but still needs confirmatory test. The person had interaction with one of GBP’s workers.

“We can only allow them to get back to work on-site once the result for confirmatory test is out and the person is negative,” Madrid said.

Madrid noted that the non-essential workers are basically those whose jobs are not technical in nature, and assured that their absence will not hamper technical operations.

GBP owns subsidiaries Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) and Panay Power Corp. (PPC) generate power through its 314-megawatt (314 MW) coal-fired power plant and 72MW diesel plant, respectively.

GBP supplies majority of power in Panay Island, which consist of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo provinces as well as Iloilo City, the regional capital of Western Visayas.

Meanwhile, all key areas of the PEDC and PPC power plants were sanitized.