Sucat Thermal Power Plant

Sucat Thermal Power Plant was an oil-fired steam turbine plant in Muntinlupa commissioned in 1968.[1] The plant was fully decommissioned in 2002. The land occupied by the facility is planned to be auctioned by the government to private bidders in late 2015 or early 2016 on conditions that the property will be kept as a power-generation site. Rehabilitation of the facility was previously considered but such plans were dropped after it was deemed too costly to recommission the plant compared to constructing a new one in its place and the facility is already flooded.[2][3]

Sucat Thermal Power Plant
The Sucat Thermal Power Plant in 2017
Country	Philippines
Location	Muntinlupa
Coordinates	14°26′51″N 121°3′7″E
Status	Decommissioned
Commission date	1968
Decommission date	2002
Owner(s)	National Power Corporation
Thermal power station
Primary fuel	Oil
Power generation
Units decommissioned	4
Nameplate capacity	850 MW

History

Known formerly as the Gardner Snyder Thermal Plant, the Sucat Thermal Power Plant was commissioned on August 1, 1968 upon the completion of Unit 1 of the facility. Additional units were built on January 15, 1970, July 1, 1971 and July 31, 1972. In November 1978, the National Power Corporation acquired the facility from Meralco.[4]

In January 2000, Unit 1 and 4 was decommissioned but was preserved. Unit 2 and 3 were later decommissioned at a later time in January 2002.[4] The Sucat Thermal Power Plant was decommissioned due to its emissions exceeding the limits set by the Clean Air Act.[5]

The plant is being demolished since 2017, and only the two chimneys (popularly nicknamed "Stick-O" after the brand of barquillo-derived snack) and the exterior trusses remain as of 2019.[6]

By mid-2019, scaffolding has been set up around the plant to further complete demolition. Both of the chimneys are no longer visible.

Redevelopment

On documents regarding the PNR South Long Haul project, it is stated that the area will be rebuilt into the new Sucat station. The line will serve both the North–South Commuter Railway and the new Bicol Express service.[7]

References

1. "Company Overview of Sucat Thermal Power Plant". Business Week. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
2. Flores, Alena Mae (1 January 2015). "Sucat privatization on". Manila Standard Today. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
3. Lectura, Lenie (4 September 2015). "PSALM to auction off inactive 850-MW Sucat power plant". BusinessMirror. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
4. Romero, Amy (2 April 2014). "Bulacan firm offers top bid for idle power plant". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
5. Cabacungan, Gil (15 December 2014). "Emergency powers trump environment laws–legislator". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
6. Demolition of the Sucat Power Plant. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
7. "Bidding Document – PNR South Long Haul Project" (PDF). Department of Transportation (Philippines). August 31, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2020.