PH making progress in nuclear infrastructure development: IAEA

The country still needs to work on its nuclear power strategy and related studies.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has completed its follow-up Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission in the Philippines, and concluded that the country is making progress in developing critical nuclear infrastructure.

In a statement, the IAEA said the follow-up assessment, which was conducted after the initial mission in 2018, involved two international experts from Türkiye and Pakistan and two IAEA staff. They found that Manila has made “significant progress to address most of the recommendations and suggestions and has adopted a national position for a nuclear energy programme.”

The Philippines completed construction of the 621-megawatt (MW) Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in 1984, but it never became operational. In 2022, the government expressed interest in nuclear energy as part of its energy mix. This year, the country laid out its Nuclear Energy Roadmap, targeting 1,200 MW of nuclear power capacity by 2032, with a potential increase to 4,800 MW by 2050.

According to the INIR mission, the Philippines has drafted and advanced a comprehensive nuclear law towards enactment; completed assessments in human resource development, regulatory framework, radiation protection, radioactive waste management, and emergency preparedness and response; and drafted policies and strategies in the relevant areas.

“The Philippines expanded the composition of its Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organization (NEPIO) to 24 organizations, and all sub-committees of NEPIO are actively engaged to implement relevant activities. This indicates the level of commitment of the Philippines to proceed with their nuclear power programme,” said mission team leader Mehmet Ceyhan, Technical Lead in the IAEA Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section.

The mission, meanwhile, noted the need for further work on the Philippines’ nuclear power strategy and related studies, particularly regarding grid integration, industry partnerships, and national regulations.