Marcos explores nuclear power with Singapore experts

SINGAPORE — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. joined Singaporean experts in exploring nuclear energy and how it can help the Philippines secure an efficient but affordable power source.

Joined by Trade Secretary Cristina Roque and Finance Secretary Frederick Go, among other government officials and private sector representatives, such as Aboitiz Group president and CEO Sabin Aboitiz and Ayala Group’s Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, the President listened to a discussion by Low Xin Wei, CEO of the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative (SNRSI), on how nuclear energy can be a viable source of power for the Philippines.

In 2014, SNRSI was established at the National University of Singapore (NUS) as the research arm of the Nuclear Safety Research and Education Programme to concentrate expertise and knowledge in nuclear technology and safety in a single institute and sustain a critical mass of personnel engaged in a range of nuclear-related activities relevant to Singapore.

During the discussion, President Marcos stated that his father, then-President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., once dreamed of using nuclear energy, prompting him to establish the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), a 621-megawatt pressurized water reactor in Morong, Bataan, initiated in 1976 to combat global oil shocks. However, his father's dream did not materialize.

“In 1986, we were already in the first two phases. In fact, that pool of trained professionals, government, the master's, PhD, professionals, they're still around. They're still around. They're still around, waiting to put their knowledge into practice. So we were never going to do the last phase that you have. We already managed to do the first and the second, and too bad, they stopped it,” Marcos said.

The BNPP was never commercially operated and was officially mothballed in 1986 under President Corazon Aquino through Executive Order No. 55 due to severe safety, environmental and economic concerns.

During his last State of the Nation Address, Marcos announced that his government was considering revisiting nuclear energy production amid skyrocketing electricity prices in the country. Nuclear energy is also being used in the fields of medicine, agriculture, water filtration and plastic upcycling.

He then expressed confidence in the capacity of nuclear power to reinforce Philippine energy security and bring down the cost of electricity in the country.

However, Singapore has not decided to adopt nuclear energy and is currently studying the option through the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR), according to Singapore’s government website.

The website further states that energy security is an existential matter for Singapore and something the country cannot take for granted.

Currently, 95 percent of Singapore’s electricity is produced using natural gas, an imported energy source.

“As a small nation, we do not have many options. With no natural energy sources and too little land, our energy options are limited. Our main domestic renewable energy source — solar — can contribute only up to around 10% of our electricity needs by 2050, even though we are one of the most solar-dense cities in the world. To meet growing energy needs while achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, Singapore needs to be open to exploring clean energy sources for power generation. This includes nuclear energy,” the website report read.