Meralco deploys students to US, China to study nuclear energy

By Alena Mae S. Flores – August 25, 2024, 8:55 pm
from manilastandard.net

Power retailer Manila Electric Company (Meralco) said it enlisted foreign universities from the United States and China as knowledge partners for its nuclear energy push.

Meralco said it signed memoranda of understanding (MOU) with North American institutions Ontario Tech University in Canada and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in the United States. The power distributor signed an MOU with Harbin Engineering University (HEU) and Tsinghua University, which are partners of the China National Nuclear Corporation Overseas Ltd.

“Our commitment to explore the adoption of nuclear energy in the country is reinforced by these milestone collaborations with reputable international institutions. These partnerships will help us in having greater understanding of nuclear technologies, ensuring that challenges are addressed, and plans are well aligned with government policies prior to deployment,” Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said in a statement over the weekend.

Meralco’s partnerships with the foreign universities aim to ensure provision of adequate knowledge on managing a nuclear power plant, including best practices in the study of nuclear energy.

The company said this would also enable the co-development and implementation of nuclear energy related programs and conduct of joint research projects that will be beneficial to the adoption of the alternative power source in the country.

These agreements also strengthen Meralco’s own nuclear energy program, through which the company also aims to equip Filipinos with expertise on the nuclear power industry.