The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is targeting two possible business models in attracting nuclear investments from the US to the Philippines, according to Secretary Alfredo Pascual.
Pascual told reporters the Philippines can either seek supply of the nuclear reactors from NuScale Power Corp. and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. or get them manufacture the reactors in the country.
NuScale Power Corp., a publicly traded US firm, last week announced plans to build small nuclear power plants worth up to $7.5 billion in the Philippines while USNC, a Seattle-based company was looking at the Philippines as the first site of its nuclear energy facility in Southeast Asia.
Pascual said NuScale eyes small modular reactors or those 60 megawatts or higher and uses a different technology from USNC which utilizes a special material to encase the regenerative fuel
He said the business arrangement, however, depends on the partnership with local businesses.
“Government is pointing them to certain directions and give them incentives so they will decide to (invest),” Pascual said.
He said according to USNC, the micro modular reactor is not sensitive to geological movements or earthquakes, making it ideal in areas with volcanic activity.
Pascual said the small nuclear reactor is sensitive to volcanic or geological movements of the earth He added NuScale has identified areas in the Philippines that can be considered safe locations. No actual decision on which province they will build it if they proceed to build it. – Irma Isip
