Meralco’s nuclear dream pushed back to 2032

While Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) representatives are set to fly to the United States and Canada to touch base with nuclear energy players, the Meralco group’s planned deployment of small-scale reactors would still be delayed by “eight to 10 years,” tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan said.

“The timetable for deployment of SMR or MMR (small modular or micro modular or reactors) could be moved back as far as 2032, 2035,” the Meralco chair told reporters following the company’s financial results briefing on Monday.

Pangilinan said that an MMR can have a minimum power generating capacity of 20 megawatts, while an SMR’s capacity will range between 50 megawatts (MW) to 70 MW.

READ: PH must diversify nuke energy tech to meet 1,200 MW goal by 2032

Earlier, he said they were aiming at making Meralco group’s nuclear power plants operational by 2028.

According to Pangilinan, companies they spoke with on a recent visit to South Korea, including top power plant builders and suppliers that cater to American customers, said that developing SMRs “turned out to be more difficult than anticipated.”

Currently, Meralco is learning more on micro than on small modular reactors in efforts to help the government hit the target of having 1,200 MW of nuclear power capacity by 2032.

This, as Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said tapping MMR may “not be enough.”

“Anyway, whatever the size might be, but roughly about eight to 10 years from today in terms of commercial deployment, we still are very keen to purchase a proof-of-concept plant, if it’s one to five megawatts,” Pangilinan said.

Meralco’s intention is to deploy reactors in far-flung areas.

Pangilinan previously said that starting with MMR in remote areas can help “produce power and demonstrate that it’s a safe mode of producing power.”

Meanwhile, Aperocho said that Meralco key officials will meet with two to three leading players in the nuclear energy space in the US and Canada.

Asked about the feasibility study with US-based company Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp., Aperocho said they still need to iron out some issues “as soon as possible.”

“Maybe that’s part of our itinerary in the US,” he said.

Froilan Savet Meralco First Vice President and Head of Networks also said the scheduled trips would also focus on signing memorandum of agreements with two universities as the group plans to send scholars to study nuclear engineering.

Aside from South Korea, the company is also seeking ties in France and Japan for the capability development of its people. INQ