An active power plant in 2032 is not possible without the renewal of BNPP – the law maker

By Almira Louise S. MartinezA reporter

A commercial power plant by 2032 could be achieved through the renovation of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), the congressman said on Monday.

As stated in Philippine Nuclear Energy Roadmapthe country aims to include nuclear power plants in the electricity mix by introducing at least 1,200 megawatts and gradually increasing to 4,800 megawatts by 2050.

Pangasinan Second District House Nuclear and Chiefs Committee Chairman Marcos Juan Bruno O. Cojuangco said this goal cannot be achieved unless the government strives to implement the BNPP.

“They haven’t even identified the type of nuclear plant they want to buy,” he told BusinessWorld. “If they told me that they will use the Bataan Nuclear Plant in 2032, I would not believe them because it is 100% complete,” he added.

The reopening of the mothballed power plant in 1986 will take four to five years to complete, according to Mr. Cojuangco. “Bataan can provide 620 megawatts, and you can build three AP-1000s there, which can provide 1100 megawatts each for a total capacity of 3920.”

Since the closure of the BNPP, the government has experimented with different energy sources, such as wind, solar, and geothermal. The head of the committee pointed out that this technology has failed to provide the country with enough energy in the last 38 years.

“They must increase their desire for nuclear energy, which is a clean yet reliable and cheap source,” he said.

Mr. Cojuangco revealed that AP-1000 of Westinghouse Electric Company, APR-1000 of Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP), and Canada’s CANDU 6 are the country’s three most easily delivered nuclear power plants. .

“If there is going to be an obstacle to building nuclear weapons in the Philippines, it will be our ability to finance it.”

The Philippines and South Korea have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on it October 7 to start the BNPP feasibility study in January 2025.

The study will be divided into two parts – an assessment of the current state of the institution and an assessment of its performance.

“KHNP may suggest other options, including the construction of a conventional plant or the development of a small modular reactor,” the Department of Energy (DOE) said.

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The Promise of Power: The Bataan nuclear power plant