In pursuit of the development of nuclear energy as a viable source of affordable power supply, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is sending its first batch of Filipino scholars to China and the United States.
“This country — and Meralco — should be prepared for and committed to nuclear energy. Supporting aspiring energy professionals will help build a talent pipeline of nuclear energy experts, paving the way for a smarter and greener future for our country,” Meralco chairperson and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said on Monday.
According to Meralco, the five engineers who will join the two-year Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering (FISSION) program will be assigned to lead its nuclear power generation unit.
Of them, Amiela Nicodemus and Gener Atienza will start their program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the United States of America.
Rigid screening
The three others, Kenneth Tulagan, Mark Justin Salas and Marc Laurence Ceria, will undertake the program at Harbin Engineering University in China.
The FISSION scholars underwent a screening process conducted by a selection committee composed of energy industry experts and academe professionals like Dr. Ike Dimayuga from the Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. and Dr. Aura Matias, former dean of the University of the Philippines College of Engineering, among others.
Meralco Power Academy, the energy education unit of the distribution utility, is responsible for managing and overseeing the implementation of FISSION.
Since then, MPA has partnered with top-notch universities offering international graduate programs in nuclear engineering.
Meralco has been actively pursuing nuclear energy development and it even hopes to see an operational power plant in the country by 2028 or before the conclusion of the Marcos administration.
The company recently concluded its pre-feasibility study on local nuclear power development, which nominated five particular areas, prompting the company to launch a deeper and more formal study.
