The Department of Energy (DOE) has urged the incoming administration to look into the viability of small nuclear reactors (SMRs) to meet the country’s growing energy demands.
Energy Undersecretary Benito Ranque said the modular nuclear reactors or SMRs could be used to power far-flung areas often affected by extreme weather disturbances.
SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of up to 300 MW per unit, about one-third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors.
He said SMRs are compact and easy to transport, which could help immediately restore power in calamity-stricken areas.
Ranque said each modular nuclear reactor could produce more than enough electricity to light up an entire island like Cebu, Bohol, Negros, Samar, Leyte, and other island provinces, which suffered weeks without electricity because of typhoon Odette.
He said modular nuclear power plants are now being used in the United States and China, allaying safety concerns over nuclear power use.
Ranque said the disposal of nuclear power waste should also be addressed.
“They have the technology in disposing or handling the nuclear waste, so it is best for us to include that provision in the contract,” he said.
Ranque said there is a need to build more power plants to give the country more “buffer” supply.
He reiterated the need to empower small electricity cooperatives in the countryside by helping them acquire their own renewable power plants, prioritizing typhoon-prone areas to allow uninterrupted power supply.
President Duterte issued Executive Order (EO) No. 164 entitled, “Adopting a National Position for a Nuclear Energy Program, and for other Purposes” in February upon the recommendation of the DOE.
E.O. 164 opens the door for the next administration to tap nuclear power and include it in the power generation mix.