Russia's Rosatom inks cooperative deal with Philippines on atomic energy use

The deal includes "cooperation" in nuke plant construction and operation.

The Philippines' Department of Science and Technology and ROSATOM State Atomic Energy Corporation signed a memorandum on cooperation in peaceful uses of atomic energy. The Memorandum was signed by Alan Peter Cayetano, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, from the Philippine side, and Alexey Likhachev, CEO of ROSATOM, from the Russian side.

The Memorandum’s objectives include the development of the bilateral cooperation in peaceful uses of atomic energy in areas such as radiation technologies, experimental reactors construction and operation, basic and applied sciences, including in the sphere of construction and operation of nuclear power plants. The document envisages partnership in the development of the nuclear infrastructure of the Philippines the part of which is personnel training and public acceptance of nuclear power and radiation technology in the country.

“The signed document offers our countries plenty of opportunities to cooperate in science and engineering in peaceful uses of atomic energy while making it possible to develop practical application of nuclear technology in health care, agricultural and many other crucial sectors of the Philippines’ economy. We are willing to share unique experience of the Russian nuclear industry with our partners including cooperation in such basic areas as personnel training and public acceptance of the nuclear technology,” said Alexey Likhachev, CEO of ROSATOM.

The Memorandum implementation will be the responsibility of Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), corresponding ROSATOM’s departments and ROSATOM Southeast Asia regional office in Singapore.