DOE may rechannel $100-M budget for nuclear energy development

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is considering the use of a $100-million fund budgeted for nuclear energy development, for other activities, a Department of Energy (DOE) official said.

Energy undersecretary Jay Layug said the budget has been approved, but the DOE is having second thoughts about the nuclear energy program after what happened in Fukushima, Japan. We are in discussion internally,” Layug said, adding that talks revolve around whether we push through or delay or use the budget for more urgent matters.

“The DOE has no program for nuclear other than to study it. In fact, what we have done, due to the Fukushima incident, we’re thinking of reconsidering the study and see whether we should do other studies apart from nuclear,” he said.

The energy official said at the moment, the DOE would be focusing on renewable energy development.

“Renewable energy is the priority right now and not nuclear, we’re looking at additional capacities through coal and natural gas plants. So that’s what we’re focusing on right now,” he said.

Some civic groups have been urging the government to rethink moves on pushing for its nuclear energy program.

One such group is the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) which has urged the government to totally drop nuclear plans after the sad incident in Japan.

“We earlier asked the Aquino administration to remove a section on nuclear revival in its development plan,” FDC president Ricardo Reyes said.