Danessa Rivera (The Philippine Star)
- December 25, 2019 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Department
of Energy (DOE) has welcomed the conduct of more studies that will pave the way
for the nuclear energy program of the country.
DOE recently received the
SMART pre-feasibility study report from Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd
fr (KHNP).
Jesus Posadas, DOE undersecretary,
said the study included the review of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).
“It’s about the assessment of the Bataan
nuclear plant. They are the first who suggested that the plant could be
upgraded,” he said.
In June last year, DOE officials met
with officials of KHNP led by its president and CEO Chung Jae Hoon to discuss
possible nuclear power investments.
The agency and KHNP explored energy
cooperation endeavors, including the possibility of conducting a feasibility
study on the establishment of a small, 100-MW modular reactor in the Cagayan
Economic Zone Authority.
While the report was already turned
over, the DOE has yet to review the study.
“I just received the study on behalf
of the secretary. But we welcome all these types of studies because we
have to hurdle 19 steps under the IAEA,” Posadas said.
The IAEA, or International Atomic
Energy Agency, assists its member-states in evaluating the status of the 19
infrastructure requirements, to determine the possibility of introducing a
safe, secure, and sustainable national nuclear program.
The Philippines sees nuclear power
as a viable long-term energy option for the Philippines based on results of a
technical cooperation with IAEA.
The country, through the Nuclear Energy
Program Implementing Organization (NEPIO), has been conducting a study for the
country’s the nuclear program, which include putting up a nuclear modular
reactor in other provinces.
In April 2018, the DOE submitted a
proposed national policy on nuclear energy to President Duterte for approval.
The proposed national policy includes the use of the mothballed BNPP and the
development of modular nuclear power plants across the country.
The IAEA conducted the Integrated
Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) Mission, which completed and turned over
to the Philippines the phase 1 mission report last October.
The report contains the IAEA’s
initial findings on the country’s existing good practices as well as the
suggestions for the DOE-NEPIO’s preparation of the Integrated Work Plan (IWP).
The INIR mission concluded that
there is a strong commitment from the government of the Philippines to a
systematic approach to address nuclear infrastructure needs to set its nuclear
power strategy.
DOE said the IWP would answer all
IAEA concerns should the government decide to pursue the use of nuclear power
as a potential source of energy for the country.
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