The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has launched its Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) program at the Giga Summit 2025, signaling a major step toward integrating nuclear power into the country’s energy sector. NEST aims to advance the country’s long-term, low-carbon energy solutions and positions Meralco as a leader in the modernization of the Philippine power industry.
Meralco chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan emphasized the initiative’s importance, noting that NEST will explore nuclear energy pathways through global partnerships with organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), and nuclear operators in France and South Korea. The program also evaluates small modular reactor (SMR) deployment and the potential revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.
Meralco has already signed agreements with French energy firm EDF and is in talks with the U.S. government for further nuclear energy collaboration. Pangilinan also stressed the need for support from the Philippine Senate and Congress to establish a national regulatory framework for nuclear energy.
NEST follows Meralco’s 2023 launch of its Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering (FISSION) program, which has already sent students abroad for nuclear engineering education. These scholars will return to contribute to Meralco’s nuclear initiatives upon completion of their studies.
The Giga Summit, which attracts global energy experts, served as an ideal platform for unveiling this program, highlighting Meralco’s commitment to innovation and sustainable energy development. Through NEST and its ongoing educational initiatives, Meralco is positioning itself at the forefront of the Philippines’ energy transformation.
