Meralco forges nuke study deal with U.S. partner

The Philippines, especially the off-grid islands with perennial power supply problems, might soon be allowed to rely on nuclear sources, through fourth-generation gas-cooled Micro-Modular Reactor or MMR Energy Systems, to meet their electricity needs.

The Manila Electric Co., or Meralco, the country's biggest power distribution player, signed a cooperative agreement with United States-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. or USNC to jointly study the viable areas in the country where MMRs can be deployed.

Meralco chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan, represented by Meralco executive vice president and COO Ronnie L. Aperocho, and USNC founder and CEO Francesco Venneri formally signed the deal on the sidelines of the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Summit.

No less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. witnessed the signing.

The cooperative agreement allows USNC to conduct a four-month pre-feasibility study to aid Meralco's familiarization with MMR systems and how they can be effectively used locally.

The study will assist Meralco in making critical decisions and potential future activities on project-specific studies and project development plans at identified sites. It will assess financial, technical, safety and siting, among other factors.

Additionally, the agreement gives Meralco the option to extend the study depending on the results of the pre-feasibility study.

"USNC is changing the nuclear safety and energy security conversations in the Philippines with these Micro-Modular Reactors. This agreement moves us forward with a partner who understands these important issues alongside the essential nature of the cost and reliability of the electricity supply," Pangilinan said.

"This also signifies the commitment of Meralco to explore and utilize diverse energy sources for the benefit of Filipinos. Nuclear technology should be able to help us meet our country's growing demand for energy, achieve energy independence and transition toward a sustainable energy future," he added. 

Meanwhile, Venneri said he is optimistic that USNC's nuclear batteries can play a major role in delivering cheaper and more reliable power for Filipino users.

"The plans that will quickly follow this study place Meralco well on the way toward creating a reliable, low-carbon, equitable and secure future for Filipinos," he added.

USNC has developed and patented its Fully Ceramic Micro-encapsulated fuel used in the MMR to provide the safest possible nuclear power system at the most fundamental level.

The MMR Energy System uses a high-temperature helium-cooled microreactor to safely and reliably provide up to 45 MWth of high-quality heat, which is delivered to a centralized heat storage unit.

One or more MMR nuclear batteries combine their heat in the heat storage unit, from where electric power or superheated steam can be extracted through conventional means to meet a wide range of power requirements — from tens to hundreds of MW.

According to Meralco, adopting next-generation clean technologies such as MMR energy systems is part of its long-term sustainability strategy to accelerate its shift to green power.

The company recently launched the Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering program in a bid to develop the Philippines' technical and regulatory talent pipeline through education and training in the highly specialized field of nuclear engineering.