Geline Salac

Meralco launches nuclear program, to look at possible rehab of Bataan plant

A maintenance technician walks along the central control room of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in Morong, Bataan on Friday. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Energy- Nuclear Plant

Arthur Fuentes

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Meralco formally launched its Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) program during the opening of the company&#x27;s two-day &#x27;Giga Summit 2025.&#x27;The event, hosted by the Meralco Power Academy (MPA), brought together energy experts, industry leaders, and policymakers.Meralco Chairman and CEO Manuel Pangilinan said NEST is the company’s internal program to assess the responsible deployment of nuclear power in the country. He said the country needs legislative and regulatory frameworks to support nuclear energy, citing ongoing discussions with the US and other governments.“We’re touching base with a number of countries familiar with nuclear energy like France, we signed an agreement two to three weeks ago with EDF (Électricité de France) with the French ambassador. We’re talking to the US government on how we can get assistance in terms of nuclear energy in this country,” Pangilinan said.The program will pursue partnerships with the International Atomic Energy Agency, France’s EDF, South Korea’s nuclear operators, and US-based small modular reactor developers. It will also consider the possible rehabilitation of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.NEST follows Meralco’s 2023 launch of the FISSION (Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering) program, which sent five scholars to study nuclear engineering in China and the United States. These scholars will eventually contribute to Meralco’s nuclear initiatives.“These bold steps are driven not just by infrastructure, but by intellectual readiness, as well,” said MPA President and Meralco Chief Operating Officer Ronnie Aperocho.Meralco said NEST will ensure Meralco and its customers are ready for the safe and responsible use of nuclear power.The company has been looking at so-called nuclear batteries or small modular reactors (SMRs), which are seen to generate up to 300 MW(e) of power, compared to the 1,000 to 1,600 MW(e) of traditional reactors.However, Pangilinan said in an earlier interview that deployment of such reactors may be <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/7/1/meralco-s-small-nuke-reactor-may-be-delayed-to-2030-pangilinan-1752" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">delayed until 2030.</a><div> <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KBHfcJ1C2Mw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>

Meralco formally launched its Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) program and will look at the feasibility of rehabilitating the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

Meralco formally launched its Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) program and will look at the feasibility of rehabilitating the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.