Pangasinan open to having nuclear plant

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan , Philippines  — The province is opening its doors to the establishment of a nuclear power plant on its coastline.

There are two existing power generation sites in the province: the 1,200-megawatt, coal-fired Sual power plant in Sual town; and the 345-MW San Roque Multi-purpose Dam in San Manuel town, both of which generate electricity for the Luzon grid.

The provincial board yesterday approved a resolution encouraging the government to acquire the nuclear power plant assets of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO), which the South Korean government is disposing.

The resolution was titled “Expressing the sense of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the province of Pangasinan to invite the national government to locate under certain conditions, the Keido Nuclear Plant assets within the boundaries of the province, most specifically along the coastline areas.”

The board has created an ad hoc committee chaired by Pangasinan sixth district board members Alfonso Bince Jr. and Tyrone Agabas, and third district board member Romeo Dadacay.

Pangasinan fifth district Rep. Mark Cojuangco told the provincial board in a letter dated Feb. 2, 2010 that the South Korean government has started disposing of its KEDO Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) assets.

The provincial board said in the resolution that the South Korean government might let the Philippines acquire the nuclear plant assets on concessionary terms.

“The province of Pangasinan expresses its willingness to host the KEDO NNP/s or any currently model NPP/s to become the premier electric power generating province on the island of Luzon,” the resolution said.

“There is a distinct possibility that the South Korean government would allow the Philippines to take possession of these assets at very concessionary terms given the very close and brotherly relations between the two countries and the large local Korean population who have made the Philippines their second home, “ it added.

The board members said the Luzon power grid faces a possible shortage of 3,000 megawatts by the year 2012, which might cause widespread rotating brownouts.

The provincial board said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have expressed interest in acquiring the KEDO assets.

The power shortage is expected to adversely affect the economy, dampening business confidence and losing jobs in the process.

Cojuangco has also filed a resolution in the House of Representatives to reopen the idle Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. –Eva Visperas (The Philippine Star)