Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC) has received an amended Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), allowing for the expansion of its Semirara Coal Mine Complex.
The amendment increases the approved project area from 4,369.25 hectares to 5,221.75 hectares within Coal Operating Contract (COC) No. 5, a 13,000-hectare area awarded to SMPC by the Department of Energy (DOE).
Under the revised ECC, SMPC is authorized to raise its annual coal production limit from 16 million metric tons (MMT) to 20 MMT. The higher production capacity will be implemented through open-pit mining operations covering the years 2025 to 2027.
The amendment also allows the inclusion of the Acacia mine alongside the currently operating Narra mine, ensuring continuity in SMPC’s extraction activities.
SMPC said the revised ECC supports its ongoing operations and aligns with the mine development plan previously approved by the DOE. The company remains the country’s largest coal producer, supplying both domestic and export markets.
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