No need for coal power: Chair

By LULU MARK
THERE is no need to use coal for power generation in Papua New Guinea, an official says.
The National Energy Authority chairman Joseph Gabut said coal was a dirty fuel that would cause sickness in the local community hosting a coal project.
“I do not see the need for coal in PNG,” he said.
“We have many renewable sources of energy.
Gabut was responding to queries by The National following a call by the ‘Nogat Coal’ alliance for Australian mining company Mayur Resources to cancel its proposed plans for a coal-fired power plant project in PNG to prevent environment and health impacts.
The ‘No coal in PNG’ campaign aiming to stop Mayur Resources from starting coal production and possible energy generation is a collaboration between PNG’s Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights (Celcor), Nogat Coal and Jubilee Australia Research Centre (Jarc).
Celcor acting executive director Evelyn Wohuinangu said Mayur’s decision to pause its plans for a coal power plant in Lae was welcomed but, “we strongly urge them to do away with coal entirely, including from their Central Cement and Limestone project in Papa Lea Lea.”
According to a report by the Business Advantage PNG on July 13, construction was expected as soon as financing was finalised for Mayur’s Central Cement and Limestone project and the Orokolo Bay Iron and Industrial Sands project in Gulf.
Attempts to get comment from Mayur Resources on whether or not coal would be used to generate power at any stage of these projects were unsuccessful.
Gabut said the electricity market in PNG was small and could not take all the electricity from power projects that were being constructed and others in the pipeline to be built.
“The long standing policy of more than 30 years is that coal must not be used for power generation in PNG.
“We in the energy sector have been upholding that policy.
“If a PNG Government wants to change the existing policy then consultation must be held with all stakeholders and ample opportunity must be given for their views to be sought, including the views of the community affected by a coal project,” he said.
Gabut said an independent study needed to be done to provide a detailed analysis on the advantages and disadvantages of using coal for power generation before the ‘No Coal’ policy was replaced to allow the use of coal in PNG.