Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC), the coal and power generation arm of the Consunji group, has secured approval from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to expand its coal mining operations on Semirara Island in Antique province.
SMPC announced in a stock exchange disclosure Wednesday that it received an amended Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the DENR.
The amendment increases the project area from 4,369.25 hectares to 5,221.75 hectares under Coal Operating Contract (COC) No. 5, which the Department of Energy (DOE) awarded to SMPC. The total contract area spans 13,000 hectares.
With the revised ECC, SMPC is authorized to include the Acacia mine in its operations alongside the currently active Narra mine.
The amendment also raises the annual coal production limit from 16 million metric tons (MMT) to 20 MMT using the open-pit mining method, effective from 2025 to 2027.
The company stated the amendment supports its ongoing operations and aligns with the mine plan approved by the DOE.
In October, SMPC disclosed plans to invest P291 billion for its coal mine expansion project on Semirara Island. The expansion is based on the discovery of an additional 90 MMT of coal resources and 72 MMT of reserves from the Acacia pit.
SMPC aims to begin coal mining operations for the Acacia prospect as early as the third quarter of 2026, which the company expects will sustain its operations in the medium term.
The company also anticipates an increase in power demand for its mining operations. It plans to install a 16-megawatt wind power plant and/or a 10-MW solar plant to bridge the gap between its current 30-MW power capacity and its project power requirements.
In the first quarter of 2025, SMPC reported a net income of P4.4 billion, a 33 percent decline from P6.5 billion a year ago.
This was attributed to the continued normalization of coal selling prices, partially offset by improved operating performance in the power segment. Revenues contracted by 10 percent to P16.51 billion from P18.43 billion, primarily due to lower coal selling prices and shipments.
