Government identifies potential sites for nuclear plant

MANILA, Philippines – The government has identified more than 10 potential sites for the country’s first nuclear power plant.

In a presentation, the National Power Corp. (Napocor), which is taking the lead in the study of the development of nuclear technology for power generation, said these sites are located in Bataan, Batangas, Quezon, Negro Occidental, Palawan, Cagayan, Cavite, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Norte and Sarangani.

Specifically, the candidate sites for the first nuclear power plant in Luzon will be in Mapalan Point in Morong, Bataan; San Juan, Batangas; Padre Burgos, Quezon; Port Irene/Matara Point and Rakat Hill in Cagayan.

For the Visayas region, the possible sites to host the first nuclear facility in the country are Tagbarungis, Inagauwan in Southwest of Puerto Princesa and Concepcion, Tanabag in Northeast Puerto Princesa; Cansilan Point, Bayawan in Negros Oriental; and Baluangan, Cawayan, Negros Oriental.

In Mindanao, the government has identified Piacan Point in Siocon Zamboanga del Norte; Cauit Point in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte and General Santos, Sarangani.

Earlier, Napocor president Froilan Tampinco said that there are already groups that are expressing interest to put up a new nuclear facility in the country.

Tampinco said Korea Electric Power Corp. and a French power firm have signified and may be ready to submit their respective proposals to construct a 600 to 800 megawatt (MW) nuclear facility in Bataan.

The Napocor chief noted that due to archipelagic structure of the Philippines, it is best to put up small (600-800 MW) nuclear power facilities.

Tampinco declined to give the identity of the France-based power firm but hinted that it is one of the biggest nuclear power generating companies in that country.

So far, Electricite de France (EDF) manages 59 nuclear power facilities. As of 2008, these plants produce 90 percent of EDF’s and about 78 percent of France’s electrical power production (of which some is exported), making EDF the world leader in production of nuclear power by percentage.

On the other hand, Kepco, a Korean government owned-utility, is the world’s third largest nuclear energy business with an installed nuclear generation capacity of 17,716 MW as of the end of 2008. KEPCO operates 20 commercial nuclear power units as of 2009, with eight more units currently under construction and an additional 10 units planned to be built by 2030.

Kepco was also the one that conducted a feasibility study on BNPP revival. Kepco, which is running a similar unit as BNPP, estimated that the repowering would need a cost of $1 billion.

These two firms, Tampinco said, are both eyeing Bataan as a site for the new nuclear facility, if ever.

He noted that the BNPP has a provision for a total of 1,200 MW capacity. The mothballed BNPP was only 600 MW. –Donnabelle L. Gatdula (The Philippine Star)