BAGUIO CITY – United States Ambassador to the Philippines Mary Kay Carlson is pushing for the integration of small modular nuclear reactors to the proposed revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) as part of making the Philippines energy self-sufficient in the future.
Ambassador Carlson led the Special Holiday Treat for concerned stakeholders at the Ambassador’s Residence inside Camp John Hay Tuesday afternoon in line with her attendance to the World Textile Congress being held in the city until Friday.
“Small modular nuclear energy is the way of the future,” Ambassador Carlson told reporters at the sidelights of the Holiday Treat of the US Embassy to various stakeholders in the city.
Earlier, the US and the Philippines signed the 123 Agreement or the United States Philippines Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, that served as one of the highlights of the recently concluded Philippine International Nuclear Supply Chain Forum 2024.
She claimed that small modular nuclear reactors, which were showcased during the recently concluded nuclear suppliers forum hosted by the Philippines, is being advanced by the US government because it requires lesser space, uses modern technology and is projected to produce cleaner energy that will help in reducing the cost of power in the country.
However, the US official is not discounting the possible revival of the BNPP because there are some US, Korean and other multinational companies that have looked into the facility that used the Westinghouse technology to ascertain whether or not the desired investment on the plant will make sense, among others.
According to her, many developed countries already shifted in maximizing the use of small modular nuclear reactors to produce cleaner energy for their respective nations to address the increasing need for cheap and reliable power for their rapidly growing economies.
Ambassador Carlson proposed that if the investments to the revival of the BNPP will be reasonable, it must go hand in hand with the put up of small modular nuclear reactors in strategic areas around the country to ensure the shift from fossil fuel to clean energy and contribute in mitigating the impact of climate change to humanity in the different parts of the world.
She pointed out that the matter on the possible revival of the BNPP will be left to the sound discretion of the experts who are currently studying the proposal to operationalize the 36-year old power plant but what is important is that it should be integrated with the latest technology where the use of small modular nuclear reactors is now taking center stage.
Energy security and sustainability is one of the major thrusts of developed and developing countries to help in bolstering their respective economic growth with the use of the latest technologies that will provide a stable supply of clean power and lessen the threats of polluting the environment.
The United States has used nuclear power for more than 60 years. The country is the world’s largest producer of nuclear energy, which contributes nearly 20 percent of the electricity generated in America. Nuclear energy plays an important role in the United States’ overall energy portfolio, as the country, like many other countries, attempts to reduce carbon emissions and address the threat of global climate change. By Dexter A. See
