Mindanao is best site for nuclear facility – Ibazeta

MANILA, Philippines – Mindanao could be the best site for a nuclear power facility, a top energy official said.

Energy Secretary Jose Ibazeta said, “If you were to ask me where could be a perfect site for a nuclear power, I would prefer Mindanao,” he said.

Ibazeta said though he acknowledged a possible security risk for these kinds of facilities if built in Mindanao, putting up a nuclear power plant will spur economic development in the province.

“If we have more economic activities, the lives of the people of Mindanao will be uplifted,” he said.

Ibazeta also noted that Mindanao is a strategic location for such facility. “Its close to other countries in Asia like Indonesia and Malaysia wherein we can export power if we like,” he said.

The Arroyo administration has revived the idea of rehabilitating BNPP to generate an extra 600 MW from it.

The National Government had earlier 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 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 Visayas, 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; 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.

In a related development, Napocor president Froilan Tampinco said a communication plan is already being drawn up in preparation for a comprehensive nuclear power development for the country.

“We had a forum in Bataan to form communication plan. We’re preparing for development of nuclear program,” he said.

Tampinco said an inter-agency group created to study the option of using nuclear as an alternative source of power for the Philippines, is now looking into all aspects of nuclear energy development.

The Napocor chief earlier said it would be wise for the Philippines to consider medium-sized nuclear power facilities with capacities ranging from 400 megawatts (MW) to 600 MW. –Donnabelle L. Gatdula (The Philippine Star)