DOE hopeful on progress in nuclear power development

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) hopes to make significant progress next year on the development of nuclear energy in the country.

DOE Undersecretary Sharon Garin said the government is considering a “slow but sure” approach when it comes to nuclear energy for the Philippines.

“We have to make sure that nuclear energy is safe, secure. We don’t risk the lives and health of our people,” she said.

Given this, Garin said the DOE hopes significant progress will be attained by next year as part of the country’s path in the potential introduction of nuclear energy.

She said the agency hopes to wrap up a roadmap of up to 2032, with the target of putting nuclear energy in the energy mix by 2032 or 2033.

“So we need to prepare because construction is around four to five years and then review for the project will be four or five years so everything should be ready by next year,” Garin said.

“By 2024, hopefully we finish the law, passed by the Senate also and bicameral. And the roadmap will be wrapped up also and then our training and communication plans and survey as well,” she said.

Garin, however, clarified that this does not mean that should all of these be finished by next year, there will immediately be a nuclear power plant developed the succeeding year.

“It means that we are preparing because this is not a project that can be done and can be fast-tracked,” she said.

The DOE has included nuclear energy in the country’s power mix under the clean energy scenario of the draft Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) 2023 to 2050.

Under the draft PEP 2023 to 2050, which will serve as the blueprint that will chart the country’s energy landscape in the next three decades, a clean energy scenario considers the entry of nuclear energy, in which 1,200 megawatts (MW) of capacity is eyed by 2032, 2,400 MW by 2035, and 4,800 MW by 2050.