Dominguez open to BNPP revival

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Finance (DOF) is open to the possibility of rehabilitating the mothballed nuclear power plant in Bataan to lower electricity costs in the country.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said the government should consider reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) so long as necessary safety measures are implemented.

“That is something that we should consider if we want to bring down power rates. It might be a good investment – it’s already there, 600 megawatts (MW). The safety measures have to be in place,” Dominguez told reporters.

In line with this, the finance chief said he would urge the Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct a study on the feasibility of reopening the nuclear power plant.

“I want to encourage Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi to study it well and we will support him as much as we can if it’s safe and if it makes economic sense,” Dominguez said.

The 620-mw BNPP was built during the Marcos administration to help diversify the country’s energy sources. But the facility was mothballed when the administration of former president Corazon Aquino took over in 1986.

Some groups have opposed the revival of the power plant, citing environmental and safety concerns.

However, the consortium composed of Russian state-owned Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corp., Slovenia’s Gen Enerjia and global engineering firm Worley Parsons submitted a recommendation that BNPP can still be rehabilitated.

The DOE’s technical cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also found the use of nuclear power can be a viable long-term energy option for the Philippines.

Earlier this year, the DOE completed the draft for the national policy on nuclear energy to determine if it is safe to include nuclear power sources in the country’s energy mix. Cusi also said earlier, the policy seeks to find a final closure on the BNPP.

Aside from exploring nuclear energy, Dominguez said the government is also planning to rehabilitate the Agus-Pulangi hydro power plant system in Mindanao.

Currently, the Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Power Plant can only supply 40 percent of its total nameplate capacity to the Mindanao grid. However, it is considered as the cheapest power source in Mindanao, with capacity being sold at around P2.70 per kilowatt-hour.

Dominguez said the rehabilitation of the five Agus-Pulangi power plants would increase their capabilities and extend their service life by 30 more years.

The P54 billion project has been proposed by the DOF for possible parallel financing support between the Chinese government and the World Bank.