The Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing for the revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).
The estimated cost to revive the nuclear power plant is 1 billion dollars.
Instead of the private sector managing the plant, some want it to be operated solely by the government.
If the plant will be back in operation, the cost of power will only be more than one peso per kilowatt hour compared to the more than four peso pero kilowatt hour cost of power today.
DOE said, the Philippines is one of the countries which has the most expensive cost of electricity.
But the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice fears that the 1 billion dollar-cost to revive the plant will be passed on to the consumers.
The group said, instead of reviving the nuclear plant, the money can be used to build more renewable power plants that are cleaner and safer.
“’Yung perang yun ay maaaring gamitin sa pag-develop ng renewable energy sa ating bansa. Nakikita natin ngayon ang pagiging competitive ng renewable energy lalo na ‘yung solar,” Glenn Ymata of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice said.
(The money can be used to develop renewable energy in our country. We now see how competitive renewable energy is especially solar.)
But according to one of the supporters of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, former congressman Mark Cojuangco said, if the plant will be back in operation, the cost will be easily recovered.
But there is no promise that the cost of electricity will be lower.
“Paano po magmumura ang kuryente? Hindi po dahil sa isang planta na nagbigay ng murang kuryente kundi dahil sa isang fleet na planta na nagbibigay ng murang kuryente,” Cojuanco said.
(How can electricity be cheaper? It does not rely only on a single plant that generates electricity but instead of a fleet of cheaper energy source.)
The low price will come in the future, a decade or two from now. It will not come tomorrow even if you run BNPP,” he added.
DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi believes that funding for the nuclear power plant will be easy because many stake holders are interested.
“I’m sure there will be a lot of funders because a lot of funders believe in the project, believe in the economic value of having that kind of investment,” said Sec. Cusi.
Earlier, DOE explains that utilizing the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is safe and it is the safest way to acquire cheaper and sufficient power supply.
In the world, many progressive countries use nuclear power. And there are only a few cases wherein people have died due to accidents caused by nuclear power plants. — Mon Jocson | UNTV News & Rescue
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