Energy heavyweights Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and Aboitiz Power Corp. (AboitizPower) have joined senior US and Philippine officials in accelerating civilian nuclear cooperation, marking a decisive step in Manila’s bid to integrate nuclear energy into its power mix by 2032.
On Monday, February 16, company executives and government officials meet to build on the landmark 2024 “123 Agreement,” formally known as the Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, which laid the legal foundation for US-Philippine collaboration on atomic energy.
Leading the US delegation were Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Ann Ganzer and US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires David Sequeira. They met with Philippine Energy Secretary Sharon Garin, Meralco Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, and AboitizPower President and CEO Carlos Aboitiz to formalize agreements with multiple American agencies backing the country’s nuclear roadmap.
Among the headline initiatives is a USD2.7-million feasibility study funded by the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to assess the deployment of US-designed small modular reactors (SMRs) in the Philippines.
The US Departments of State, Energy, and Commerce, along with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, are also supporting regulatory capacity-building, workforce development, and technical exchanges.
An SMR control room simulator will be installed under the State Department’s FIRST program, while Philippine officials and lawmakers are set to participate in reverse trade missions and study tours in the US.
The embassy of the US in Manila said the initiatives reflect “strong momentum” in civil nuclear cooperation and a shared commitment to energy security and responsible deployment of advanced technologies.
The Department of Energy welcomed the agreements as a major stride toward energy diversification—anchored on safety, governance, and global best practices—positioning nuclear power as a potential pillar of long-term economic resilience.
