By Danessa Rivera (The
Philippine Star) | Updated August 31, 2016 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines – The
Philippines is reviving its nuclear power program as it hosts a three-day
international nuclear energy conference aimed to help the country make a
well-informed decision on nuclear power development.
Nuclear is seen as a viable choice
for the country’s energy needs because it is high on productivity and
reliability, low on cost and emissions, and more cost efficient in the long
term, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said in his speech during the start of the
International Nuclear Conference yesterday.
“Pursuing the path towards nuclear
power for the Philippines may not be a walk in the park. But this regional
conference is definitely a step forward in the right direction,” he said.
Cusi said he is not against the use
of nuclear energy but as Energy secretary, it is his duty to study all options
to ensure power supply.
The Philippine government, in
partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and
International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC), has convened
global experts on nuclear energy development for a three-day conference, which
forms part of the steps being undertaken by the Department of Energy (DOE) for
the nuclear power option, Cusi said.
“My point is just that, with all the
new findings, technological advancements and successful experiences of
countries around the world, nuclear energy holds much promise for our national interest,
especially in light of our collective quest to implement our long-term energy
plans,” he said.
In the same event, Senate President
Aquilino Pimentel said the push for nuclear power should be based on scientific
evidence and not on political or ideological considerations.
“We are here to discuss prospects of
nuclear power. This conference will surely start a debate on nuclear power… as
we will be educated on the pros and cons of nuclear power,” he said.
While experts are set to present
data on the use of nuclear power, IAEA deputy director general Mikhail Chudakov
said they will not push for the adoption of the technology in the country,
which should make the decision.
“In IAEA, we’re not in a position to
push for nuclear power. It’s a sovereign decision of a country,” he said.
As for IFNEC, it is also not in the
business to decide if the country is ready for nuclear power, the cooperation’s
co-chair Alexander Burkart said. “We’re here to help a country make an informed
decision,” he said.
To review the country’s nuclear
program, Cusi said a nuclear policy body will be formed composed of the DOE,
National Power Corp., Philippine Nuclear Research Institute and other
stakeholders.
“We’re going to revive that and
fortify it, to include more stakeholders,” he said.
Included in the review is the
possibility of reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) built in the
1980s with a capacity of 620 megawatts (MW).
Cusi said the BNPP will be inspected
on Thursday to determine its present status, while there will be different
discussions on the facility during the conference.
The BNPP was supposed to operate
commercially in 1986 but was mothballed due to strong opposition from
environmental and cause-oriented groups over safety concerns and reports former
president Ferdinand Marcos received about $80 million in kickbacks from builder
Westinghouse.
In reviving the country’s only
nuclear power plant, IAEA’s Chudakov said it can be reopened but it will
require necessary assessments.
“The station cannot stay like it was
before. Every year, you have lessons, new guidelines and the facility needs an
upgrade every year pending investigation, scientific information. To re-open
[the facility] is also a question of money,” he said.
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