The Power for People Coalition (P4P), contested Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s recent call to lift the coal moratorium, accusing him of misleading the public about coal energy costs and reliability.
Escudero claimed coal power is cheaper than renewable energy, a statement P4P refutes with recent data.
P4P presented 2023 figures from Meralco showing coal generation charges range from Php 9 to 28 per kilowatt-hour, contradicting Escudero’s figures of two to four pesos per kilowatt-hour.
In contrast, renewable energy costs are reported between Php 3 and 5 per kilowatt-hour, not the six to 10 pesos stated by Escudero.
Gerry Arances, lead convenor of P4P, criticized coal power for its high greenhouse gas emissions and linked it to this year’s severe summer temperatures and frequent power outages.
A report from the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) indicates that coal plants are more prone to failures than other energy sources, leading to higher electricity costs as distributors buy from the spot market to cover shortfalls.
“We do not know where the Senate President found his figures, but his staff can easily verify the truth online,” said Arances.
He maintained that evidence supports renewable energy as more cost-effective and reliable than coal.
