Senators divided on revival of Bataan nuke plant

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Energy (DOE) is considering the revival of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) as a sustainable source of energy because the current power reserves are not enough to prevent possible outages.

But a number of senators have expressed conflicting views about the proposal, highlighting the need to come up with a comprehensive study regarding the viability of rehabilitating the BNPP.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said that nuclear power is an option worth considering because it is safe to use. It is a source of energy being used by many developed countries.

“We have to study. We cannot leave any stone unturned in our study. And all the developed countries are using nuclear. Here we are using 32 percent coal. In the US, 20 percent of their total generating capacity or supply is nuclear. Russia is around 19 percent and France is around 80 percent,” Cusi said during a hearing on the country’s power situation at the Senate yesterday.

“If I will make a decision, I will go, I will open it. But it’s not for me to decide. It’s for the country to decide,” he added.

Cusi admitted that nuclear power is unpopular in the country so it would be a challenge to get the public to accept this option.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on energy, said that nuclear power is something worth studying as a long-term option for the country. But he also said he has apprehensions.

“I have some apprehensions about the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant because it is old and was never used. When it comes to safety, this should be studied carefully. There are a lot of new, more modern plants that are safe. This is very old, so I have some concern about opening it,” Gatchalian said.

“I’m not in favor of the revival but we should look at nuclear energy maybe not now, maybe 10 years from now. But it should be in our drawing board,” he added.

Asked by Sen. Nancy Binay about how much is being spent for the maintenance of the BNPP, Cusi said that it costs the government around P27 million a year.

“I think it’s high time that we decide on whether we will use it or close it permanently. Remember that’s P27 million every year that we are spending without knowing if we are going to use it or are we going to develop it to something else,” Binay said.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito lauded Cusi for considering nuclear power, particularly the BNPP, which he said was still in good condition.

“Now that yellow alerts and forced outages are recurring, it is time that we think outside of the box. Right now, nuclear is the cheapest source of power,” Ejercito said.

“We had our last payment for the BNPP in 2007. It is now owned by taxpayers, by all Filipinos. Why don’t we reconsider utilizing it? It’s a $2-billion asset that is just sitting there,” he added.

Balanga, Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos, however, warned that the rehabilitation and revival of the BNPP would have repercussions both on the environment and the community. – With Edu Punay