Power retailer Manila Electric Company (Meralco) on Thursday launched its Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) program, which includes studying the revival of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in a bid to drive innovation and advance the Philippine energy landscape.
Meralco introduced NEST as the company’s flagship initiative to incorporate nuclear power into the Philippine energy mix as a long-term, low-carbon energy solution during the opening of the two-day Giga Summit 2025: The Fusion of Power and Intelligence organized by the Meralco Power Academy (MPA).
“Today, Meralco’s NEST has been launched. This is our internal program to assess what it would take to responsibly put up a nuclear power plant in the Philippines,” Meralco chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said.
The program adopts a multi-track approach to evaluate all viable pathways for nuclear power deployment in the Philippines.
These include initiating large-scale greenfield projects through partnerships with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and nuclear operators from France and South Korea; exploring the potential deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) in collaboration with the US; and studying the feasibility of rehabilitating the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).
Meralco chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said the company is studying the viability of rehabilitating BNPP. The study, led by the DOE, is in partnership with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP).
“A feasibility study is underway that we hope would be completed within the year. BNPP – if feasible – will be the quickest route for the Philippines to adopt nuclear power in the 2030s,” Aperocho said.
He said Meralco is also assessing the option of building a new full-scale nuclear project although it is also looking at small modular reactors or SMRs to deliver nuclear power.
“With the hopeful passage of the proposed Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act or PhilAtom Bill, Meralco will be able to progress and work with the independent nuclear regulator on selecting the best site to situate this nascent nuclear project,” he said.
“Given the developments in SMR globally, Meralco is identifying possible technologies that are best fit for the Philippine context. With its modular nature, SMRs have great potential in the Philippines especially in powering up our various islands. Meralco hopes that regulations on licensing and development can proceed quickly as the technology progresses,” said Aperocho.
Pangilinan said Meraldo is “touching base with a number of countries familiar with nuclear energy like France.” Meralco teamed up with Electricité de France to explore nuclear power development in the country.
“We’re talking to the US government on how we can get assistance in terms of nuclear energy in this country,” he said.
“We need the help of Senate and Congress to set the nuclear framework of the country and of course our regulatory framework as well,” said Pangilinan.
