By Sheldeen Joy Talavera, Reporter
THE PHILIPPINES could end up producing power from nuclear plants by 2035 at the earliest, a three-year delay from the original target, due to the extensive regulatory and safety approvals, according to the Department of Energy (DoE).
“The grid integration, barring no changes yet made in the Philippine Grid Code and all of the other technical requirements, the actual injection of the capacities will start at around 2035 through 2038,” Energy Utilization and Management Bureau Director Patrick T. Aquino said at a public consultation on Thursday.
The DoE is drafting the rules that will guide developers and stakeholders for a planned auction for the country’s first nuclear power plants.
The projected timeline for grid integration, however, indicates the government will fail to meet its original target of having at least 1,200 megawatts (MW) of commercially operational power plants by 2032.
Mr. Aquino said generating nuclear power could start as late as 2038, depending on how the proponent follows best practices and completes the licensing process, which is expected to take two years.
He said that construction alone could take years, making it unlikely that a plant achieves operational status by 2032.
“It will slide a bit from 2032. That much is certain,” he said.
From around 2030 to 2040, nuclear energy capacity is expected to grow from about 1,200 MW to 2,400 MW, according to Mr. Aquino.
The Philippines is positioning nuclear energy to play a crucial role in diversifying the energy mix to meet emission reduction targets and enhance energy security.
Last year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed a measure establishing a national framework for the peaceful and secure use of nuclear energy.
Republic Act (RA) No. 12305 also created the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (PhilATOM), an independent entity responsible for overseeing all nuclear and radiation-related activities in the Philippines.
Its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) have yet to be issued.
“While it’s true that the IRR is not yet in place for RA 12305, the government has been continuously preparing the requirements and is ready to assist PhilATOM,” Mr. Aquino said.
Amid concerns over the safety of operating a nuclear power plant, he said generating power from nuclear energy will be heavily regulated.
“Everybody in this region, in Southeast Asia and in the world will be affected if we do this wrong,” Mr. Aquino said. “If a power plant is operated that doesn’t meet the safety, security and safeguard. That’s why we comply with International Atomic Energy Agency rules. That’s why any movement of nuclear fuel or nuclear waste is heavily regulated.”
Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara said the IRR represents a key milestone in the implementation of the National Nuclear Energy Program.
“Beyond defining the mechanics of the tender, it establishes a governance framework that will help ensure that the country’s first nuclear power projects are pursued in a manner that upholds public interest, inspires investor confidence and earns the trust of the Filipino people,” she said.
