Power utility in Asian nation will develop shortlist of reactor technology suppliers
The US is accelerating the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies to the Philippines with funding for the Asian nation’s major power utility to evaluate US small modular reactor (SMR) designs and develop a roadmap for Manila’s first SMR nuclear power plant.
The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), which announced the funding, said the project will help address the Philippines’ rising energy demand and position US industry as a long-term partner for nuclear power development in the country.
USTDA’s assistance will provide MGEN, a subsidiary of the Philippines’ largest private electric distribution utility Manila Electric Company (Meralco), with a comprehensive technical review of advanced US-made SMR reactor designs.
The findings will enable MGEN to develop a shortlist of US technology providers for its future procurement needs. The assistance will also deliver a roadmap that incorporates international best practices for project structuring and financing.
USTDA, which backs the development of critical infrastructure projects in emerging markets, said its funding will create opportunities for US industry to be “a preferred partner for building the Philippines’ energy future”.
Manila Delegation Plans Visit To US
To complement the technical assistance and further support the Philippines’ SMR goals, USTDA announced it will bring a delegation of Philippine energy decision-makers to the US through a reverse trade mission to observe novel US SMR solutions.
Meralco chairman and chief executive officer Manuel Pangilinan said Meralco sees the USTDA grant as the beginning of a long but necessary journey.
“It simply is right for the country to think nuclear and Meralco is prepared to act as though leader in that regard. We look forward to the progress this collaboration will bring – and to a secure energy future we will build together.”
The Philippines is keen to push ahead with a nuclear power programme and late last year published a comprehensive framework for the integration of nuclear energy into its power generation mix while moving ahead with plans to consider financing options.
In September Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr signed a new law creating an independent regulator to oversee the use of nuclear energy and radiation sources in the country.
The law, known as the Philippine national nuclear energy safety act, establishes the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (PhilATOM) as a quasi-judicial body with exclusive jurisdiction over nuclear and radiation safety.
In June, the Philippine Senate approved a bill to establish the PhilATOM, marking a major step toward developing a legal and regulatory framework for the country’s planned introduction of nuclear power.
Bataan Site Could House Small Modular Reactor
In early 2024, the Philippines Department of Energy unveiled plans to deploy 2,400 MW of nuclear power capacity by 2032.
Marcos Jr has repeatedly voiced strong support for nuclear power, stressing the need to reassess the Philippines’ strategy and policies on its use.
In November 2023, the country advanced its nuclear ambitions by signing a so-called 123 Agreement with Washington, opening the door to US nuclear technology, fuel and equipment.
The Philippines built a Westinghouse-supplied 621-MW pressurised water reactor at Bataan, northwest of Manila, which was completed in 1984, but never commissioned.
It was mothballed due to safety concerns in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and issues regarding corruption under the government of Marcos’s late dictator father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr. The site is under consideration for the construction of a small modular reactor.
The Philippines, an archipelago nation of more than 7,000 islands, has been exploring clean and sustainable options to generate power, as the country regularly suffers power outages and faces high power tariffs. Coal remains the main source of electricity, accounting for over half of its power generation.
