THE Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has enlisted more foreign universities as knowledge partners for its nuclear energy push.
Meralco signed memoranda of understanding (MOU) with North American institutions Ontario Tech University in Canada and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the United States.
The power distributor also visited China to sign MOU with Harbin Engineering University and Tsinghua University which are both partners of the China National Nuclear Corp. Overseas Ltd.
Meralco said the partnerships with 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 these agreements are expected to lead into co-development and implementation of nuclear energy related programs and the conduct of joint research projects that will be beneficial to the adoption of a new power source in the country.
“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 the government policies prior to deployment,” said Ronnie Aperocho, Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer, in a statement.
