Bataan nuke plant rehab feasible

KOREA Electric Power Corp. (Kepco) has found the mothballed Bataan nuclear power plant suitable for rehabilitation, state-run National Power Corp. (Napocor) said. Froilan Tampinco, Napocor president, said Kepco has completed its studies on the Bataan nuclear plant.

”We received the feasibility study and the bottom line recommendation is saying that it is possible to rehabilitate the plant,” he said.

Despite its findings, Kepco failed to disclose the financial dimension of such a venture, as well as the period within which rehabilitation could be completed.

Tampinco said that Kepco has agreed to help in coming up with a cost estimate and timetable for a rehabilitation program.

”I gave them up to January to come up with a recommendation so that I can present to the [Napocor] board,” he added.

The board, which is chaired by the Department of Finance, will then decide if Napocor will get involved in such an undertaking.

Napocor’s involvement in such a venture, however, would require Congressional consent.

The state-owned power firm can get a mandate if a pending bill gets Congressional support, Tampinco said, adding that “what we can do is to propose to the board a possible program that can be undertaken.”

Based on the said bill, $1.00 billion will be poured into the rehabilitation of the Bataan plant. This will be shouldered by consumers through a 10-centavo per kilowatt-hour surcharge.

The Bataan plant’s cost of producing power, however, will amount to P2.50 per kilowatt-hour, or less than half of Napocor’s current rates.

Notwithstanding the promise of cheaper rates, reviving the nuclear power plant does not sit well with a number of sectors.

Nongovernment Bagong Alyan-sang Makabayan earlier scored the proposal to revive the mothballed plant, saying the plan was both “ridiculous and dangerous.”

The government spent about $2.10 billion for the construction of the Bataan plant and is setting aside some P40.00 million a year for its maintenance even as the facility has yet to produce a single watt of electricity. –EUAN PAULO C. AÑONUEVO, Manila Times