President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Republic of Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol were witnesses on Monday at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Energy (DOE) and Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. Ltd. (KHNP) in Malacañan Palace.
The MOU seeks to generate critical information helping the Philippine government decide not only on the mothballed Bataan nuclear power plant (BNPP) but also in exploring other nuclear technologies and alternative sites for nuclear energy development.
“The signing of this MOU builds on the strong foundation of energy cooperation between the two countries. For the Philippines, it is a continuation of our efforts to enhance energy security, as outlined in the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP),” said DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla, in a statement.
Lotilla said the main goal is for South Korean firms to conduct technical and economic feasibility studies on the proposed BNPP rehabilitation.
He said assessing the feasibility, safety and sustainability of various nuclear energy options and associated costs is shouldered in full by KHNP and the Philippine government under no legal obligation to proceed with the BNPP rehabilitation or to engage KHNP based on the study’s findings.
According to Lotilla, the study is exploratory in nature and any subsequent actions are subject to further evaluation and decision by the government.
The study is set to start in January 2025 and carried out in two phases, with the first assessing the current condition of the BNPP and its components while the second phase will evaluate whether the plant can be refurbished using the most optimal model.
Should first phase findings determine that proceeding to the next phase is not advisable, KHNP may recommend alternative options, including the construction of a conventional plant or the development of a small modular reactor.
The DOE said such alternatives will be presented as viable paths forward, offering flexibility in advancing the country’s nuclear energy agenda based on the results of the initial phase.
The Philippines anticipates having its first nuclear power plant operational by 2032, with an initial capacity of 1,200 megawatts (MW), expanding to 2,400 MW by 2035 and reaching 4,800 MW by 2050, as outlined in the PEP.
