Review Revival of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

The Philippines is bracing for an energy crisis as the Malampaya natural gas fields that supply around a third of Luzon’s energy demand are predicted to be exhausted by the year 2024.

The dependence on imported fuel and the high energy prices has influenced the government to resume talks about the revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

In his first address to Congress last July, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. stated that the country’s policy on nuclear energy needed to be re-examined.

According to the World Nuclear Association, in 2022, the top energy source of the country was coal at 55%, then natural gas at 21%, geothermal at 10%, hydro at 8%, and 1% for biofuels, wind, and solar.

However, energy and climate experts have been expressing concerns over the health, safety, and feasibility concerns of integrating nuclear energy into the Philippine system.

According to Pedro H. Maniego Jr., Climate and Sustainable Cities Senior Policy Adviser, nuclear power plants are the most “inflexible” and do not go well with the energy demand profile of the Philippines.

However, Maniego states that if the government is adamant about nuclear energy, then small modular reactors are the best option, with these being “more flexible and can complement the needs of the grid.”

It was also noted by Maniego that small modular reactors are a new technology and that “More commercial information and viability data based on actual performance and costs are needed,” adding that “The Philippines should not be the testing ground for this new nuclear technology.”

The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant was commissioned by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos in the 1970s, the plant was built for over ₱104 billion and was completed in 1984 but was never used.

Now, the plant remains but sits unused. Before legislation is passed, the Philippine government should consult energy experts to see whether this path would be the best option for the country in terms of sustainability in the long run and to avoid any waste in terms of public funding and government taxes.

Sources: Business World, Washington Post, Rappler,