Philippines to include nuclear in energy mix in next 10 years

Nuclear power is targeted to be included in the Philippines’ energy mix in the next 10 years, an official of the Department of Energy (DOE) said Thursday.

“By next week, we are wrapping up the roadmap up to 2032 with objective or target that we want nuclear, hopefully, we can include nuclear energy in the energy mix by 2032 [or] 2033 somewhere there,” DOE Undersecretary Sharon Garin told reporters at a press conference in Taguig City.

To recall, in June, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said the country’s foray into nuclear power generation could happen “within the decade” as the government is working on studies such as the sites where to put nuclear power plants as well as the regulatory framework for nuclear power generation. 

During the press briefing, Garin said that the agency is hoping that the law institutionalizing the use of nuclear power would be passed by Congress in 2024.

She added that once a law is passed it would take another four or five years before a nuclear power plant can be constructed and longer periods before it can be operated as capacity building, research, and reviews are needed to ensure that the facility is safe and secure.

“It needs to be safe and secure because we won’t risk the lives and health of our people,” Garin said.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. earlier expressed his desire to adopt nuclear energy as part of the country’s power mix but said the government’s strategy had to be rethought.

"I believe it is time to re-examine our strategy towards building nuclear power plants in the Philippines," the President said in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) last year.

In March, Marcos said he was considering "cutting-edge" micro nuclear fuel technology as part of the measures to address the power crisis in the country.

The DOE earlier said that the Philippines would have to wait 10 years to see a working nuclear power plant, given the time needed for feasibility studies and other factors. —NB, GMA Integrated News.