Meralco eyes rehab of Bataan nuclear plant

MANILA, Philippines — Power giant Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is looking at the possible revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), which was completed decades ago but never commissioned.

Speaking at the Giga Summit 2025, Meralco executive vice president and COO Ronnie Aperocho said a feasibility study is now underway to assess the potential of the 620-megawatt (MW) BNPP.

The study, conducted in partnership with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, will be completed “within the year,” Aperocho said.

“BNPP, if feasible, will be the quickest route for the Philippines to adopt nuclear power in the 2030s,” he said.

The BNPP, the Philippines’ first attempt to utilize nuclear energy in the power generation mix, was completed in 1984 to reinforce the country’s power supply.

The facility, however, was never activated due to safety and political issues.

The BNPP revival is outlined in Meralco’s flagship nuclear energy strategic transition program aimed at ensuring the safe, scalable and responsible integration of nuclear power into the energy mix.

Under the Philippine nuclear roadmap, the government aims to deliver at least 1,200 MW of nuclear capacity by 2032 and scale this up to 2,400 MW by 2035 and 4,800 MW by 2050.

Under its nuclear adoption strategy, Meralco is also exploring the feasibility of building a full-scale greenfield nuclear power project.

“With the hopeful passage of the proposed Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act, or PhilAtom Bill, Meralco will be able to progress and work with the independent nuclear regulator on selecting the best site to situate this nascent nuclear project,” Aperocho said.

Similarly, the power giant is also exploring the potential adoption of new small modular reactors, identifying possible technologies suitable for the Philippine energy landscape.

Meralco, Aperocho said, is hoping that licensing and development regulations could “proceed quickly as the technology progresses.”

A typical nuclear reactor generates an average of one gigawatt of power per facility. This is 100 to 1,000 times bigger than micro-modular reactors, which only produce around one to 10 MW.

Earlier, Meralco signed a two-year memorandum of cooperation with French state-run power giant Electricité de France SA to explore nuclear power and pursue potential investments, including backing from the French government.