A South Korean firm has offered to revive the mothballed Bataan nuclear power plant (BNPP), an offer coming on the heels of those offered earlier by the US and China, according to the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI).
At the Powertrends 2023 International Business Forum in Makati City on Thursday, PNRI director Dr. Carlo Arcilla said that Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), a subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) sent its own offer highlighting the fact that it has an operational plant which is the same model as the BNPP.
“The one that is really interesting is Korea because Korea has an exact model, and they said they can revive it in five years as (BNPP) is still intact. What is important (to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) is to have a nuclear power plant before the term of this administration ends. Other options are available but will have to go through more processes,” Arcilla said.
PNRI said that KHNP can re-power the BNPP in five years at a cost of $1.19 billion.
Arcilla said the government may chose to lease or sell the power plant to the private sector but that it would be more advantageous if the plant is acquired by a local firm.
Prior to this development, the Department of Energy (DOE) bared receiving an offer from the Chinese government for a possible nuclear energy cooperation.
China’s proposal was preceded by an offer to build the Philippine government a civilian nuclear facility from the United States of America.
