SEMIRARA MINING FINED FOR ‘VIOLATING’ ANTIQUE SITE ECC

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) imposed a P1.4-million penalty on integrated energy company Semirara Mining and Power Corp. for allegedly violating the rules under its environmental compliance certificate (ECC).

The DENR directed the Consunji-led company to settle the fine within 15 days “for alleged violation” of Presidential Decree No. 1586. The parties have yet to respond to queries on the firm’s offenses.

Semirara Mining “intends to settle the fine within the allotted time,” it said in a regulatory filing.

It holds an ECC for the Semirara Molave Coal Expansion Project that the DENR, through its Environmental Management Bureau, issued in May 2020. The site is located in Barangay Semirara in Caluya, Antique.

Unplanned outages

“The Semirara Molave Coal Project is envisioned to simultaneously operate the existing Molave and Narra (East Panian) pits while implementing the accelerated rehabilitation activities for the mined out Panian pit. The proposed expansion area is in the Molave and Narra pits located northwest and east of the Panian pit, respectively,” the listed firm had informed the agency.

Early in February, the Energy Regulatory Commission also fined its unit SemCalaca Power Corp. (SCPC) for exceeding the number of allowed unplanned outages by 5.24 days for unit 1 of its plant and 96.2 days for unit 2.

SCPC, which operates a coal-fired power plant in Calaca, Batangas, was told to pay P4.31 million.

Semirara Mining had intended to file a motion for reconsideration.