Science Energy chief says to draft plan for Philippine nuclear program

Energy chief says to draft plan for Philippine nuclear program

MANILA - The Philippines will prepare a detailed plan for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on how it could embark on a nuclear power program, its energy chief said on Wednesday, backing a push for the country to tap nuclear energy.

news.abs-cbn.com

MANILA - The Philippines will prepare a detailed plan for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on how it could embark on a nuclear power program, its energy chief said on Wednesday, backing a push for the country to tap nuclear energy.

"We are set to meet with the IAEA next month to discuss further collaboration efforts," Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said, after receiving an IAEA review report on the infrastructure the country would need for a nuclear program.

"This is the beginning of a new phase of work because we have to prepare now our plan of action and we are going to present it to them, to IAEA, and they are going to audit us," Cusi said.

The Department of Energy has been studying the use of nuclear power, a divisive issue in the Philippines due to safety concerns. It has drafted an executive order, which is awaiting President Rodrigo Duterte's signature, outlining a national policy to support its plan.

Duterte has said safety will be his top consideration in deciding whether the country will pursue nuclear energy.

Cusi said Duterte "wants to learn more" about nuclear energy.

Nuclear power is seen as a potential answer to the Philippines' twin problems of precarious supply and the high cost of electricity, although Cusi said other options were also being considered.

"We are looking at all sources of energy. We're studying hydrogen," he said. "We are hungry for power and we will tap any sources that would satisfy our own needs now."

Supporters of Cusi's nuclear energy push say that because the fuel cost is lower, electricity rates will drop. But those against it cite a reliance on imported uranium, high waste disposal and decomissioning costs, as well as safety issues.

If it decides to tap nuclear energy, the Philippines could either build new facilities or rehabilitate its Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, built in the 1980s but mothballed after a change in the country's leadership and the devastating Chernobyl disaster.

Cusi said the government is also looking at deploying small modular nuclear plants to some of the country's islands still suffering from power shortage.

The government recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Russian state atomic company Rosatom involving a pre-feasibility study for such plants, he said.

And China related stuff:

South China Sea row: Philippines to launch nuclear programme as China tensions grow

THE PHILIPPINES are planning a new nuclear programme amid heightening tensions with China which has seen political uproar and weapons readied with the help of US support.

www.express.co.uk

South China Sea row: Philippines to launch nuclear programme as China tensions grow
THE PHILIPPINES are planning a new nuclear programme amid heightening tensions with China which has seen political uproar and weapons readied with the help of US support.
By CHARLIE BRADLEY
PUBLISHED: 08:52, Wed, Oct 30, 2019 | UPDATED: 09:31, Wed, Oct 30, 2019


China's aggression in the South China Sea has led to persistent bickering between Manila and Beijing with an arms race now fully under way in the region, intensified by the presence of the US and the determination of President Donald Trump to thwart Chinese ambitions. Trump has been in talks with Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte to place deadly rocket systems in the Philippines. The long-range, precision-guided rockets fired by the system would be able to strike Chinese man-made islands on reefs in the Spratly chain, according to the South China Morning Post.

They would pose a terrifying threat to the Chinese military as President Xi Jinping looks to secure control of contested waters in the region amid widespread diplomatic fallout.
For now, talks between Washington and Manila are stalling, with the latter concerned over the affordability of the HIMARS rocket systems.


Now Duterte is reportedly interested in a nuclear programme, with government representative Alfonso Cusi stating the President "wants to learn more" about nuclear projects.



The Philippines' Energy minister Cusi added that a detailed plan for nuclear power will be sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

South China Sea: Xi Jinping and Duterte are at odds over the region (Image: getty)

South China Sea: Chinese Navy have asserted authority in the waters (Image: getty)
He Added: “We are set to meet with the IAEA next month to discuss further collaboration efforts...This is the beginning of a new phase of work because we have to prepare now our plan of action and we are going to present it to them, to IAEA, and they are going to audit us.”
Nuclear power is seen as a potential answer to the Philippines’ problems of precarious supply and the high cost of electricity, although Cusi said other options were also being considered.
He said:“We are looking at all sources of energy. We’re studying hydrogen... We are hungry for power and we will tap any sources that would satisfy our own needs now.”

Supporters of Cusi’s nuclear energy push say that because the fuel cost is lower, electricity rates will drop. But those against it cite a reliance on imported uranium, high waste disposal and decommissioning costs, as well as safety issues.
The country is plagued with power issues, and Duterte sees potential for nuclear power to help boost much of the population out of poverty.
Improved energy efficiency could also enable the Philippines to divert more funds towards defence as tensions with China rumble on.
In 1994, Beijing sparked confrontation with Manila by asserting its ownership of Mischief Reef, which was inside the claimed EEZ of the Philippines.

In 2016, the Philippines won a case in the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidating China’s claims to almost the entire stretch of sea. China does not recognise the ruling.
The tribunal in The Hague found that China had violated sovereign Filipino rights under the United Nations Convention on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Duterte said he has been offered a controlling stake in a joint energy deal by Xi Jinping in exchange for ignoring the international arbitration in Manila's favour.
At the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit this week, Duterte will join other Asian nations as they look to safeguard their waters from Chinese aggression.

 

[Rand /pol/]

I hope they Cherynbol themselves tbh.

 

[Buttigieg2020]

Nuclear Duerte incoming, truly the world is not ready.

 

[Babyspackle]

It's aight bois, they got apostle kwadwo on it.
The new Kantanka nuclear plant is gonna be fine guys.

 

[BoingBoingBoi]

thank fuck. china is such a bully. at the very least a nuclear philippines would be a deterrent to commie chink fuckery.

 

[⠠⠠⠅⠑⠋⠋⠁⠇⠎ ⠠⠠⠊⠎ ⠠⠠⠁ ⠠⠠⠋⠁⠛]

Excellent news, Rosatom knows what they're doing, and the Russian nuclear industry have a lot of great new designs for modular reactors that can supply power needs for remote Arctic outposts and underpolar sonar chains, when run by Russians. Should be workable for Philippine conditions by Filipinos too.

 

[Pixy]

Excellent news, Rosatom knows what they're doing, and the Russian nuclear industry have a lot of great new designs for modular reactors that can supply power needs for remote Arctic outposts and underpolar sonar chains, when run by Russians. Should be workable for Philippine conditions by Filipinos too.

I doubt the Filipinos will go for any untested designs, though. That's partly why thorium reactors didn't get off the ground for so long.

 

[Cedric_Eff]

thank fuck. china is such a bully. at the very least a nuclear philippines would be a deterrent to commie chink fuckery.

That still wouldn’t deter China. China does what China does. If they get nuked, they won’t give two fucks. They’re literal bug people.

 

[Stoneheart]

Should be workable for Philippine conditions by Filipinos too.

Do they have the right alcohol content?

 

[Lodoss Warrior]

I'm kind of glad I live in a world where someone as memetically deranged as Duterte has access to nukes.

Maybe he'll send a nuclear Hail Mary at the Vatican.

 

[Alec Benson Leary]

In b4 the progs all cry and complain about nuclear being dangerous and force them to rely on clean coal and oil instead.

 

[Judge Holden]

That still wouldn’t deter China. China does what China does. If they get nuked, they won’t give two fucks. They’re literal bug people.

I dunno, the loudly shouted threat of a decent nuke sized explosion on the Three Gorges Dam would probably make the chinkants reconsider things

 

[Cedric_Eff]

I dunno, the loudly shouted threat of a decent nuke sized explosion on the Three Gorges Dam would probably make the chinkants reconsider things

Who knows, the fucking Chinks are bug people in anyways.

 

[Sneed's Feed And Seed]

Didn't they literally JUST have, like, three earthquakes?

 

[Oskar Dirlewanger]

Good, everyone should have nuclear power. This filler arc before the postnuclear wasteland saga is taking too long.

 

[Cedric_Eff]

Didn't they literally JUST have, like, three earthquakes?

My family down there is still fucked. We’re not even sure if a box full of cup noodles and sleeping bags is going to help them.

 

[Francis E. Dec Esc.]

Have you ever seen what power lines look like in the Philippines? Imagine these carrying the juice from a nuclear power plant.

 

[Manwithn0n0men]

Have you ever seen what power lines look like in the Philippines? Imagine these carrying the juice from a nuclear power plant.

View attachment 993159

View attachment 993160

Burning it all down would be the easiest way to rebuild it effectively

 

[Iwasamwillbe]

I don't see too much of a problem with this, as the US itself should be going nuclear.

 

[JoseRaulChupacabra]

There's actually already a nuclear plant in the Philippines. It's just not being used because there's accusations that the plant design is flawed or something like that. I heard it's also close to a fault line or something.