The Department of Energy (DOE) is considering introducing financial incentives to support local nuclear energy projects, likely modeled after the Green Energy Auction (GEA) program, a senior official revealed at the Philippine International Nuclear Supply Chain Forum 2025.
Patrick Aquino, DOE director at the Energy Utilization Management Bureau and head of the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee (NEP-IAC) technical secretariat, said the option is under internal discussion and would undergo public consultation. He emphasized the need for a legal framework to ensure the measure aligns with policy objectives such as affordable and secure electricity.
“Incentivizing nuclear development through an auction system wasn’t part of the July draft, but we’re looking into making it legally sound,” Aquino said. Under the GEA setup, renewable developers compete by offering rates at or below set reserve prices.
Aquino also expressed hope that multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank would reconsider their reluctance to put their money in nuclear projects, especially with growing support from partners like the United States.
Recent studies by the government have identified provinces including Bataan, Pangasinan, Camarines Norte, Palawan, and Masbate as viable locations for future nuclear power facilities, though specific sites have not yet been disclosed pending coordination with local government units.
The DOE reaffirmed that the Philippines is on track with its nuclear timeline, aiming to generate its first nuclear-powered electricity by 2032. The long-term target includes reaching a nuclear capacity of 1,200 MW by 2032, doubling to 2,400 MW by 2035, and expanding to 4,800 MW by 2050, based on the Philippine Energy Plan 2023–2050.
As of end-June 2025, the country’s total installed capacity stood at 31,073 MW, with coal plants still dominating the mix at 41.9 percent.
