The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) recently acknowledged the inadequacy of original plans to embrace either the micro or small modular reactor (MMR/SMR) concept of power generation for the Philippines over the medium term given the need to generate 1,200 megawatts more capacity by 2032.
This was stressed by Ronnie Aperocho, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Meralco, who told reporters the previous Monday the power development program had to be larger than had been crafted initially.
“Micro-modular is not enough. We need to look into SMR and maybe the conventional nuclear (system). We need to look into a lot of options,” said Aperocho.
As initially envisioned, power generation proponents look to the adoption of MMR units that generate up to 10 MW or even SMRs with power output of up to 300 MW.
According to Aperocho, the continued private sector push for the development of nuclear energy projects supports the government plan of building more infrastructure under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“For us to really address the power problem, we need to have more power plants,” Aperocho said.
Meralco is working closely at the moment with the American firm Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. in developing an MMR program for the Philippines with the goal of putting up such a plant before 2028.
Meralco has already nominated five areas as subject of a pre-feasibility study to ensure the technology is safe to use.
Manuel V. Pangilinan, Meralco chairman, acknowledged there could be challenges if Meralco were to upgrade its interest to an SMR instead of an MMR, citing a visit to South Korea with companies already pursuing SMR projects with American nuclear companies.
“They said it turned out to be more difficult than anticipated, that’s one. So the timetable for deployment of SMR or MMR could be moved back as far as 2032 or 2035. That is their current timeframe,” Pangilinan said.
Meralco also continues to pursue efforts increasing the number of personnel trained in nuclear energy technology.
Froilan Savet, Meralco head of network planning and project management, told reporters of a proposed memorandum of understanding set for signing next week for more Filipino scholars to study nuclear engineering in Canada.
“As part of that trip, we are also going to Illinois to sign an MOU with the University of Illinois because we’re going to send two scholars to study nuclear engineering,” Savet said.
As part of the scholarship program, Meralco will also meet with other nuclear energy industry stakeholders in the US and Canada.
Meralco recently introduced a two-year nuclear engineering program in partner institutions abroad where five of its engineers study under the Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering (FISSION) program.
Two of the participants will take the program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the US while the other three will take the program at Harbin Engineering University in China.
Upon completion of the academic program, the FISSION scholars will be sent to nuclear technology companies for their internship.
On their return to the Philippines in 2028, they will be reintegrated into Meralco and assigned to take on roles in its nuclear power generation unit.
