INVESTORS are still keen on developing nuclear energy projects within the Philippines, the Department of Energy (DoE) said, as the federal government prepares to start out accepting applications next yr.
Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin said there is critical investor interest in nuclear energy projects within the Philippines, as some firms have already presented their ideas.
Talking to reporters on Friday, Ms. Garin said firms wish to go into nuclear energy as they see it as a possible solution to serve baseload capability and to cater to the increasing demand from data centers.
“They’re very interested and are waiting for us to finalize the location selection and site evaluation,” she said in mixed Filipino and English.
The DoE plans to start accepting applications for nuclear energy projects by 2026 as a part of efforts to integrate nuclear power into the country’s energy mix by 2032.
Under the Philippine Energy Plan, the country goals to integrate nuclear energy into the ability mix with no less than 1,200 megawatts (MW) of capability by 2032, increasing it to 2,400 MW by 2045 and to 4,800 MW by 2050.
“I understand, the businesses are waiting for us to guide them on that are the areas which are more feasible. But some firms have already approached DoE to enter right into a memorandum of agreement, non-exclusive, to explore the possible nuclear power plant development,” Ms. Garin said.
She said some energy firms have expressed interest in nuclear energy development equivalent to power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and power generation firm Aboitiz Power Corp.
In a separate interview, Meralco Executive Vice-President Chief Operating Officer Ronnie L. Aperocho said that the corporate waiting to see the continued development of Romania’s first small modular reactor before proceeding by itself.
“There’s a requirement from PhilATOM (Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority) that the first-of-its-kind technology must run of no less than about two years with none incidents before we will adopt it here within the Philippines. So, we now have to undergo that two-year requirement,” he said in mixed Filipino and English.
In September, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed Republic Act No. 12305, the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act, which created PhilATOM.
PhilATOM is an independent quasi-judicial body tasked with overseeing all nuclear and radiation activities within the country.
Under the law, PhilATOM will hold sole and exclusive jurisdiction over the regulation of nuclear energy and radiation sources within the Philippines, ensuring their peaceful, protected and secure use.
The brand new body will consolidate regulatory functions from other agencies and function the country’s official counterpart to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Ms. Garin said that the DoE is about to fulfill with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi this week to debate ways on the best way to strengthen the nuclear program within the Philippines.
“IAEA is like our reference to be able to be certain that that (the deployment of nuclear energy technology) is protected, secure, and with safeguards. So, ang pagpapatayo ng (constructing of) power plant dito (here), we follow all their guidelines on the minimum,” Ms. Garin said.
Last yr, IAEA conducted a Follow-Up Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review Mission to the Philippines, wherein it recognized the country’s progress in a lot of the recommendations and suggestions from the initial mission in 2018. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera