Philippines’ nuclear energy towards industrialization
Last week, on Oct. 2 and 3, I attended the second “Philippines International Nuclear Supply Chain Forum 2025,” organized by the Department of Energy (DoE) and held at Grand Hyatt Manila, BGC, Taguig City. As I expected, it was a very informative forum, with new international data and initiatives laid and discussed.
Nuclear power is a powerful and stable source of electricity to energize and sustain many industrialized and industrializing countries in the world. Despite the hysteria by many environmentalist and climate groups, world demand for nuclear power is rising, with nuclear generation rising from 2,226 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 1994 to 2,818 TWh three decades later in 2024, with the expansion led by the US, Russia, China, and South Korea.
But the share of nuclear power in total generation worldwide has declined from 17% in 1994 to 9% in 2024. This is not because the world turned more towards wind-solar power, but towards coal. In 2024 for instance, the total generation share of coal in various countries was: India, 75%; China, 58%; Indonesia and the Philippines, 61%; Vietnam, 50%; Australia, 45%; and Japan and South Korea, 30%.
In terms of capacity of reactors that are currently operating, the US leads the world, followed by France then China (see the table).
But when the reactors currently under construction (37,990 megawatts, MW) plus planned reactors (48,256 MW) and proposed reactors (174,850 MW) in China become operational, China will overtake the US and France combined in a decade or so.
Other Asian nations pursuing more nuclear power are the following: Bangladesh, which has two reactors under construction (2,400 MW), plus two planned reactors (2,400 MW); Saudi Arabia, which has two planned reactors (2,800 MW), Indonesia, also two planned reactors (500 MW); and Vietnam has four in the works (1,000 MW).
The Philippines intends to have nuclear power plants producing 1,200 MW by 2032. On Oct. 2, Energy Secretary Sharon S. Garin issued Department Circular (DC) No. 2025-10-0019, “Framework for the Integration of Nuclear Energy in the Country’s Generation Mix to Implement the Clean Energy Scenario Under the Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2025.” The 10-page document sets five Guiding Principles: energy security, environmental sustainability, grid harmonization and integration, competitive pricing, and public health protection. It set that the pioneer nuclear power plant will be treated as a baseload facility and granted priority dispatch in coordination with the DoE, the Independent Market Operator, and the System Operator regardless of the nuclear technology deployed.
During the opening of the nuclear forum, DoE Director and Technical Secretariat Head of the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee (NEP-IAC) Patrick T. Aquino said that
“The NEP-IAC aims to transition from preparatory activities to implementation-ready frameworks, keeping the Philippines on track to deliver its first nuclear-generated kilowatt-hour by 2032.”
Good moves there, Ms. Garin and Mr. Aquino.
Among the foreign officials I saw at the forum were Eleonore C. Rupprecht, Counsellor and Trade Commissioner of the Canadian Embassy, and Ricardo Luis Bocalandro, Ambassador of Argentina.
Over the coffee break, I talked with two friends who had been with me during the Philippines Nuclear Trade Mission to Canada in March 2024 — Lino Bernardo of Meralco Power Gen (MGEN) and Nicole Yazon of Aboitiz Power (AP). Both are graduates of the UP College of Engineering. I asked them about their respective companies’ preparations for going nuclear.
Mr. Bernardo, who is president and CEO of MThermal, said that MGEN — MThermal’s parent company — is developing their human capacity. “We have sent our engineers to various foreign institutions with nuclear expertise to learn about multiple aspects of nuclear build and operations, particularly in the area of safety. USTDA (the US Trade and Development Agency) recently awarded Meralco with a grant to fund a feasibility study on the potential use of small modular reactors (SMRs) for a clean and secure energy source in the Philippines.”
Ms. Yazon, who is the Senior Assistant Vice-President for Strategy of AP, said that they support the government’s move to nuclear power as “part of a balanced energy portfolio to achieve energy security, grid reliability, and affordability. We are actively working with the NEP-IAC; we need strong government support through long-lasting policies and incentives that can span multiple administrations to mitigate the investment, commercial, technology, and environmental risks inherent to nuclear energy.”
Good.
When it comes to the Philippines’ energy security, I consider AP, MGEN, and SMC as our heroes against blackouts and energy backwardness. This is because they have thermal power plants (coal and gas powered), and soon, nuclear. Only thermal plants can provide 24/7, 365 days a year of baseload supply, the continuous electricity that is needed to power the country’s aspirations for industrialization and sustained high economic growth. I do not look positively on the other energy conglomerates that demonize coal and nuclear power.
Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the president of Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. Research Consultancy Services, and Minimal Government Thinkers. He is an international fellow of the Tholos Foundation.
