PHL, Russia sign pact on nuclear energy cooperation

The Philippines and Russia have signed an agreement to develop nuclear energy, the Department of Energy (DOE) said Wednesday.

In a statement, the DOE said it signed a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) with state nuclear firm Russian State Atomic Energy Corp. (Rosatom).

The document was signed on November 13, on the sidelines of the 12th East Asia Summit by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Rosatom Deputy Director General Nikolay Spassky.

The signing and exchange of signed documents were witnessed by President Rpdrigo Duterte and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

“The cooperation with Russia is part of the government’s intention to develop a variety of applications of nuclear energy that are within our policies, particularly for power generation,” Cusi said.

“Through this MOC, we can tap the significant experience of Russia in harnessing nuclear energy and the emerging technologies related to it for peaceful purposes that is safe and secure,” he said.

Under the agreement, Philippines and Russia will cooperate in several areas which include nuclear infrastructure studies towards national energy policy development and nuclear energy program implementation in the Philippines. 

The two countries will also cooperate on the audit and assessment of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant’s (BNPP) technical condition, including the option of its rehabilitation.       

Another area for cooperation is the conduct of feasibility studies on construction in the Philippines of small modular nuclear power plants, onshore or offshore, but not limited to analysis of technical, commercial, financial and legal aspects.

Cusi said the undertakings in the MOC would support the Philippines in coming up with a national position and the crafting  of a nuclear energy policy that may lead to a nuclear energy program.
         
"The two parties may also carry out similar studies on nuclear power plants in general as may be deemed necessary and consistent with national energy development plans and policies of the Philippines," the DOE said.

"The cooperation will be implemented in the form of joint working groups that will undertake specific projects and tasks; exchange of experts; workshops; training and education of personnel; and sharing of technical information," it added.

The MOC is effective for five years and is renewable for the same period, unless one party notifies the other in writing through diplomatic channels of its intention to suspend or terminate the agreement.

The Philippines and the Russian are members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and are parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of July 1, 1968. —ALG, GMA News