SMALL nuclear power generators could be put up in the country to power off-grid areas by 2027, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.
“With the evolution of Small Modular Reactors that are suitable for the off-grid or island areas of the Philippines, the possibility of establishing a modular power plant in the country might come sooner—even as early as 2027,” said Cusi before the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Scientific Forum on September 22.
He believes the time is ripe for the Philippines to embark on a full national nuclear energy program, following the issuance of Executive Order (EO) No. 116 creating the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee.
The committee, to be chaired by the DOE, will study the adoption of a national position on a Nuclear Energy Program.
“We are strongly pushing for the passage of the necessary legal and regulatory frameworks to pave the way for nuclear power, which are among the bills that have been certified as urgent in Congress,” he said.
The energy chief expressed his regret over the country’s having missed its chance to use nuclear energy as an alternative source of power early on.
“I firmly believe that our country’s economic landscape would be much different had we tapped nuclear power back then. Instead, our economic development was stunted, whereas our regional neighbors, who had boldly ventured towards nuclear, had all been transformed into economic powerhouses. I continue my call on my countrymen to open themselves to the idea,” he said.
Before the EO was issued, the Philippine Energy Plan already projected the inclusion of nuclear power in the country’s energy mix by 2030, Cusi said.
A survey firm in the Philippines was also commissioned to gauge national public perception on nuclear energy in 2019. Results indicated that a majority of Filipinos were open to nuclear energy.
“With such a positive turnout, I feel that now is time for intensified and informed public discussions on nuclear energy. I hope that our update would open doors for potential collaborative opportunities in the future with the international nuclear energy community, or with our participants in this Forum,” Cusi said.
The Scientific Forum on “Nuclear Power and the Clean Energy Transition” is being held in conjunction with the 64th IAEA General Conference until September 25.
Featuring speakers from the government, industry, and international organizations, the event seeks to facilitate discussions on how nuclear power figures in the global transition to clean energy.