By Alec Go
The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) expressed support for the current administration’s plan to utilize nuclear energy to expand the country’s energy resources to meet the growing energy demand and lower electricity costs.
In Monday’s Laging Handa briefing, PNRI Dir. Carlos Arcilla said the coal that covers 60% of the energy demand in the country is imported, the majority of which comes from Indonesia, while 20% is covered by the Malampaya gas field which supplies 40% of Luzon’s demands.
“Halos 70% ng ating source ng energy, medyo tagilid ang kalagayan,” he said, factoring in the depletion of reserves in Malampaya.
Arcilla cited the Philippines’ position in geothermal energy production as well as solar and wind sources, but noted that sunlight and wind are not always abundant all day round and the cost of batteries to take advantage of solar energy is higher.
“Ang kagandahan sa nuclear, maliit po siya pero ang energy density niya ay napakataas,” he said, adding that a button-size uranium fuel is equivalent to a ton of coal without emissions.
“Ang importante talaga ay energy mix ay responsibly done, at tsaka mas magandang hahaluan iyan ng nuclear. Safe ang nuclear, it’s the safest and the cleanest large-scale energy available,” he added.
He said the fuel needed to run the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant for 18 months would fit in the size of a jeep without emissions, while running an equivalent 620-megawatt coal would require at least 50,000 tons of fuel with an importation cost of around $600 million to $800 million.
The nuclear fuel cost for 18 months, he said, is only around $20 million to $25 million.
“Ang tinatawag na energy security, ‘yan ang nabibigay ng nuclear. Mas marami pong mapagkukunan ng uranium kaysa sa coal. Ang presyo ng uranium, stable siya as compared to coal,” he said.
Amid safety concerns, Arcilla said there are 450 active nuclear power plants worldwide, including 94 in the United States (US) supplying 20% of US electricity needs without pollution.
Meanwhile, the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power has already offered to rehabilitate the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.
During his first State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said they plan to tap other renewable energy sources to boost energy production, including wind, solar, and nuclear.
“We will comply of course with the International Atomic Energy Agency regulations for nuclear power plants as they have been strengthened after Fukushima,” he said. “In the area of nuclear power, there have been new technologies developed that allow smaller scale modular nuclear plants and other derivations thereof.”
The plan has garnered opposition from several environmental groups due to possible nuclear dangers and the high cost of building and maintaining such source. – gb
