DOE eyeing 'commercially operational' nuclear power plants by 2032

The Department of Energy (DOE) said the Philippines is eyeing to have operational power plants in the near future. 

“We aim to have commercially operational nuclear power plants by 2032 with at least 1,200 megawatts initially entering the country's power mix, to gradually increase to 4,800 megawatts by 2050,” said Energy Undersecretary Sharon S. Garin. 

Garin made the statement as she headed the Philippine delegation at the 68th Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna, Austria. 

Garin noted that 2024 is a landmark year for the country, and releasing our nuclear energy roadmap charts is the “way forward throughout the Milestones approach.”
 
"With the mandate from President Marcos Jr., we are laying a solid foundation for a sustainable nuclear energy program in the Philippines that will ensure utmost safety not just for Filipinos but also for the rest of the world," Garin said. 
 
She added that the priorities of the DOE include reinforcing and preventing the erosion of a non-proliferation regime, the existential threat of climate change, and the injustice of poverty, disease, and hunger.
 
She then reaffirmed the country’s strong support for the peaceful use of atomic energy while ensuring nuclear safety, security, and non-proliferation. 

“Our country's longstanding position is that the pillar of peaceful uses of atomic energy should be co-equal and not ancillary to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation," added Garin.

—Sherylin Untalan/ VAL, GMA Integrated News