THE NUCLEAR Energy Program Inter-agency Committee (NEP-IAC) will be submitting its recommendations to President Rodrigo R. Duterte by Dec. 15.
The development comes about five months after Mr. Duterte created the interagency body to conduct a study on the adoption of a National Position on a Nuclear Energy Program (NEP).
“We will be submitting by December 15 our recommendation — the interagency recommendation to the President — (on) why we should include nuclear in our energy mix,” Department of Energy (DoE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said during the agency’s virtual Energy Investments Forum (EIF).
In a webinar held on Thursday, DoE Assistant Secretary Gerardo D. Erguiza, Jr. said the proposed inclusion of nuclear in the country’s power mix requires a “four cornerstones approach.”
This strategy consists of crafting national policy, ensuring a legislative framework, aligning with international standards and tracking public awareness and acceptability, Mr. Erguiza said.
Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) Executive Director Carlo A. Arcilla earlier said that nuclear held the potential to address the country’s baseload power. The PNRI is one of the members of the NEP-IAC. — AYY