MANILA -The government wants to bring technology from the United States to establish onshore manufacturing of nuclear reactors as part of plans to harness nuclear power, according to Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual.
Pascual told reporters last week that it was one of the options considered in the government’s discussions with US nuclear power firms NuScale Power Corp. and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. during the recent seven-day working visit of President Marcos Jr. to America.
“There are two potential things that could happen. One is we can order from them small modular or micro modular reactors,” Pascual said. “Another possibility is to have them establish the manufacturing facility in the Philippines,” he added.
The Philippine trade official said these US nuclear companies already have clients, but have no sufficient number of manufacturing plants for nuclear reactors to meet the demand.
Pascual said they were still looking at possible locations in the country that could house such manufacturing facilities.
According to Malacanang, Oregon-based NuScale Power is expected to invest $6.5 billion to $7.5 billion in the Philippines to provide 430 megawatts of power by 2031.
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Small-scale
The American firm, which has existing projects in Utah, Romania, Indonesia and Poland, is known for developing small nuclear power systems, touting these as safe, modular, and scalable.
Several local business groups, including the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines (Fobap), have voiced support for the adoption of nuclear energy in the Philippines.
Last year, PCCI president George Barcelon said they were backing the government’s push for the inclusion of nuclear power in the country’s energy mix.
Fobap president and chair Robert Young said the same in September, citing in particular that the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Plant could have helped temper price increases in electricity.
The cost of electricity in the Philippines is significantly higher compared with other Asian countries, including Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia, according to the Fobap official, making these other countries more attractive for foreign investors who are looking to set up or expand in Asia.
Most of the Philippines’ power plants are coal-fired and diesel-fed, tying electric cost in the Southeast Asian country to the volatile global market prices of coal. INQ
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