Meralco to build nuclear power plants by 2028

Power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) plans to build micro modular nuclear power plants to energize remote areas in the Philippines within the next four years.

“Our goal is to be able to start an operational plant perhaps in one of the island provinces to produce power and demonstrate that it’s a safe mode of producing power,” Meralco chair Manuel V. Pangilinan said. “We hope to do that certainly well before 2028.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency defines micro modular reactors as advanced nuclear reactors with capacity of up to 300 megawatts (MW) per unit or about one-third of the capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors. Ideally, these are constructed in smaller areas.

Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said Pangilinan had already given the green light to conduct a full-scale feasibility study for six months with US-based developer Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. (USNC).

Pangilinan said it would be important to craft “a fairly modest proof-of-concept plan” to build such small nuclear plants. “His group is prepared to do so “whatever the size might be—5 to 10 MW and located in a safe place,” he stressed.

They will conduct due diligence on the potential sites and come up with detailed analysis of the local and regulatory landscapes, which are seen vital to the deployment of nuclear technologies.

Aperocho said the full-on study was “progressing” although they were “just negotiating on the cost.”

“On the formal feasibility study, we will need to deep-dive more on the financial safety and other very important parameters as well as on the site-specific study [that will answer questions] like, where do we install these micro modular reactors?” he said.

The power distributor is also coordinating with the Department of Energy and policymakers as it looks into the viability of micro modular reactors and the potential sites that could host these facilities, according to Aperocho.

“We’re very transparent about the studies that we’re doing and they’re part of the next steps, especially on the site selection,” he added.

Pangilinan said if the rollout of micro modular reactors pushes through, the business relationship between Meralco and potential partners would be “a buyer-seller kind of a relationship.”

Meralco made such a decision following a prefeasibility study with USNC covering its franchise to adopt nuclear technology.

Established in 2011, USNC specializes in micro modular reactors and other nuclear power technologies for space exploration. According to its website, micro modular reactor is a fourth-generation nuclear energy system that “delivers safe, clean and cost-effective electricity to users anywhere.” The technology is being licensed in Canada and the United States.

Pangilinan previously said USNC might deploy its reactors to the country within five to 10 years.