Nuclear energy has started gaining traction in the Philippines as the government and the academe, along with US-based organizations, signed over the weekend partnership agreements on nuclear power as a viable source of clean electricity.
Strategic agreements were signed last week between global nuclear energy advocacy group, EōS Organization, Fulbright Philippines, the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), as well as Valar Atomics and the PNRI.
The partnerships support the Manila Electric Company’s (Meralco) initiative to jumpstart manpower development that could operate a nuclear facility in the country, Ronnie Aperocho, Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer, told reporters on the sidelines of the signing ceremony.
The US Embassy in the Philippines hosted the event in Makati City.
Meralco is currently running a program to select engineers qualified for additional training abroad on how to operate nuclear power facilities.
“At the end of the day, you can train them but if there are no projects still in the Philippines, how could you employ them?”Aperocho said.
Some of the country’s best nuclear engineering scholars are working abroad, especially in France, in the absence of job opportunities here, he said.
“Some of them have already achieved PhDs in nuclear engineering. Given the opportunity, they would really love to go back to the Philippines and practice their craft,” Aperocho added.
Meralco remains committed to investing in nuclear power generation despite hitting a roadblock last year when US partner Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. filed for bankruptcy
Ultra Safe and Meralco previously agreed to study the feasibility of developing micro-modular nuclear reactor (MMR) technology in the Philippines.
Aperocho said Meralco hopes to find a new partner this year.
On the sidelines of the signing ceremony, Valar Atomics Research Institute president Kip Mock said there is a plan for them to build a prototype as proof of concept that small-modular nuclear reactors can be feasible source of energy in the Philippines.
US-based Valar Atomics wants to develop multiple reactors in a single site that is vertically integrated and constructed.
Mock said they do not yet have a timeline
for developing the prototype, but promised it will demonstrate the technology’s “core physics at a very small scale” with funding requirements within “tens of millions of dollars.”
“It’s not going to be connected to the grid, or generating electricity. It’s simply a proof of concept, the pilot project for future commercial reactors that we hope to break here in the Philippines soon,” Mock added.
At this point Valar Atomics has started the licensing process with the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute through its regulatory arm.
“And so, we will work as quickly as we can while maintaining all standards of safety safeguards,” Mock said.
Micro-modular nuclear reactors have up to 10 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity while small modular reactions can generate up to 300 MW.
Last week, Fulbright Philippines and EōS Organization agreed to establish fellowships, training programs and educational initiatives on nuclear energy.
The partnership will facilitate exchange programs for Filipino students to access US institutions specialized in nuclear science and engineering training with an allocation of up to $400,000. The goal is to enhance the Philippines’ nuclear expertise.
EōS also signed a separate MOU with the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology on enhancing academic infrastructure and research
capabilities in nuclear engineering.
The primary goal is to develop nuclear engineering curricula and build a pool of skilled engineers for the nuclear industry and integrate the university’s academic programs with PNRI’s coordinated research project.
