DOF and DOE Looking at Bataan Nuclear Power Plant’s Revival

In an effort to find ways to reduce the high costs of electricity in the country, the Department of Finance (DOF) is throwing its full support behind the proposal to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III encourages the Department of Energy (DOE) to “really study” the possibility of restoring the 620-megawatt nuclear power plant.

“I want to encourage Mr. Cusi to really study it [the revival] well and we will support him as much as we can if it’s safe and if it makes economic sense,” said Dominguez.

He added that the technology to ensure the safety of the people around the nuclear power plant in Central Luzon is now available.

“You know we have to have all the safety measures — a dam,” Dominguez said. “But that is something that we should consider if we want to bring down power rates. It might be a good investment, it’s already there, 600 megawatts.”

The Challenges of Reviving BNPP

According to reports, the yearly cost of maintaining the power plant is at P27 million. Bringing it to operational stream, on the other hand, may cost around $2 billion, said Cusi.

Along with the cost, Secretary Cusi mentioned that social acceptance will be among the major challenges that the government will face in reviving the power plant. Since it was shut down in the 1980s, the main concern when it comes to the BNPP has been safety.

Supporters of the BNPP, however, believe that new developments in technology will make it safer and cleaner.

The Department of Energy (DOE), as part of its designed policy, is looking at the BNPP as part of the country’s energy mix.