Danessa Rivera (The Philippine Star)
- October 31, 2019 - 12:00am
MANILA,Philippines — The Department
of Energy (DOE) will form an action plan on nuclear energy following the
recommendations made by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) amid the
acceptance of more Filipinos for the controversial power resource.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi
yesterday received the official Phase 1 mission report of the Integrated
Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission, which is conducted by the IAEA to
assist 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.
“Our acceptance and concurrence with
the Phase 1 mission report would require us to submit our Phase 1 national
action plan, which would be in response to the recommendation made by INIR
mission with regard to the 19 nuclear power program infra issues,” Cusi said.
The report contains the IAEA initial
findings on the country’s existing good practices, as well as the
recommendations and suggestions for the DOE-Nuclear Energy Program Implementing
Organization’s (NEPIO) preparation of the Integrated Work Plan (IWP).
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.
“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. This is important,” IAEA deputy director general Mikhail
Chudakov said during the turnover ceremony.
Among the key areas which the
country needs further action on include the need to involve a broader range of
stakeholders to form a national commitment to introduce nuclear power, to
develop a legal and regulatory framework on nuclear program, and to further
develop its understanding nuclear power.
In involving a broader range of
stakeholders, Cusi said the DOE has conducted a survey on the acceptability of
nuclear with the Filipinos by engaging the Social Weather Survey (SWS) last
May.
“The survey showed 72 percent would
follow or would believe the decision of the President. So the biggest endorser
of nuclear would be President Duterte,” he said.
In April last year, the DOE
submitted a proposed national policy on nuclear energy to President Duterte for
approval.
The proposed national policy not
only covers the use of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), but
also the development of modular nuclear power plants across the country.
Cusi said the President expressed
his intention to learn and study more about nuclear power in the country.
In terms of laying down a legal and
regulatory framework, the IAEA said the Philippines is on the right track with
bills which seek to address nuclear safety, security and safeguards.
Both houses of Congress have also
been working on laws to support nuclear energy development.
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