Nuke program needs mending

The country will have to rehash its entire nuclear energy program after the use of this power option was abandoned at the end of the Marcos administration in 1986.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said availing of nuclear sources will help provide a reliable source of electricity, as well as offer cheaper power.

During the recent “Straight Talk with Daily Tribune,” Cusi said the Department of Energy (DoE) has an ongoing process to rebuild the country’s nuclear policy with the help of international bodies, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

IAEA is an international organization that promotes the peaceful use of nuclear energy and inhibits its use for any military purpose.

“Even in human resources, for example, we have a problem since the University of the Philippines (UP) used to offer a nuclear engineering course, but it was scrapped lately since the country does not have a thriving nuclear industry. That is why I wrote UP to reinstate it,” Cusi said.

Human resource is being lost since those who trained for this are all retiring and many are now in Slovenia and Korea, he said.

When the country finally decides to adopt nuclear energy, he said “We have to get the human resources and bring in the technical people.”

He added that international regulations on nuclear energy are rigid and “are no joke.”

Cusi said the DoE sought the IAEA’s help in developing nuclear courses and training in Philippine schools.

He said he requested for support from IAEA director general Yukiya Amayo in a meeting last February to assist local schools in pursuing nuclear courses and trainings on nuclear science, which also can be used in fields like medicine, agriculture, environment and water treatment.

The Energy chief said the use of nuclear technologies for power generation was seen as a long-term option for the country. The possible inclusion of nuclear power in the current energy mix is consistent with the national policy towards a technology-neutral energy sector, he said.

At the meeting with IAEA, Cusi also presented the department’s activities related to nuclear energy.

“The report touched on the possible cooperation in other areas, such as human resource development, nuclear safety, legal and regulatory framework, international standards, cooperation with the international community, stakeholders’ involvement and challenges, which include closure on the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant issue,” Cusi said.

The DoE’s recommendations on the country’s national position included the results of the energy planning studies implemented under IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Projects, which included the “Development of Nuclear Infrastructure in the Philippines, Phase II for 2018-2019.”

Cusi said the IAEA imposes several strict criteria on the setting up of a nuclear power plant.

“Even if you have the money and you fail to meet their criteria, they will not allow it. They have very rigid rules. Some of the issues they raise are handling waste, operation of the power plant and the kind of people who will be hired to handle the power facility,” he said.

He explained there are 19 checks that the country needs to comply with before the IAEA rules are satisfactorily met.