The Philippines prepares to build its first nuclear power plant
The Philippine Department of Energy has presented a new strategic framework for building and operating the country’s first nuclear power plant. The document gives the Pioneer NPP project priority for grid connection, allows long-term contracts to be signed and ensures access to investment incentives. Its goal is to speed up the integration of nuclear energy into the Philippine energy mix and strengthen the country’s long-term energy security.
The order, signed by Energy Secretary Sharon Garin on 2 October, stipulates that Pioneer NPP will be treated as a baseload power source and receive priority dispatch, regardless of the nuclear technology used. The Department of Energy aims to create favorable conditions for the country’s first commercially built and operated nuclear power plant, while also paving the way for future nuclear projects.
Funding and the role of the state
Within 90 days of the order’s issuance, the Department of Energy, in cooperation with the Department of Finance, the Department of Economy and the Maharlika Investment Corporation, is to prepare potential financing models for the project, including possible government participation. The readiness of the transmission grid will also be a priority, to ensure that the nuclear power source can be smoothly and safely integrated into the electricity system.
Flexible mechanisms will be used to ensure financial stability, including auctions, direct contracts and pooled procurement for industrial zones. Contracts will run for at least 25 years, with the option to extend them for a further 25 years.
Pioneer NPP will also automatically be designated a project of national significance, giving it access to investment incentives and an accelerated approval and permitting process.
Philippine nuclear ambitions
The first attempt to build a nuclear power plant in the Philippines dates back to the 1970s, when the government decided to respond to the 1973 oil crisis by building the two-unit Bataan nuclear power plant. The first unit—a 621 MWe Westinghouse pressurized water reactor—was completed in 1984, but financial difficulties and concerns about potential seismic risks meant the reactor was never loaded with fuel.
The plant is still being maintained in good technical condition, and its commissioning or conversion to a gas-fired plant has been discussed repeatedly.
In spring 2022, then-President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order that officially incorporated nuclear energy into the country’s energy policy. Under the plan, the Philippines aims to bring its first nuclear units online by 2032, with a total installed capacity of 1,200 MW. This is expected to rise to 2,400 MW by 2035 and reach up to 4,800 MW by 2050.
Translation disclaimer
This article is a machine translation of the Czech original and has not yet been fully reviewed. In case of any doubt, please refer to the Czech version.
