MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / July 23, 2014) – A Philippine government spokesman Herminio Coloma said the Aquino administration will look into proposals to convert the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant or BNPP into a natural gas-powered facility to ease the country’s growing demand for energy.
“Mainam na pag-aralan ang panukalang iyan, kung ito ay posible at kapaki-pakinabang,” Coloma said, adding the proposals have been floated in the past and that there is now a need to reassess a previous study to determine if it is viable for the government and interested investors.
Proponents of the conversion of the BNPP have said that operating the nuclear plant would be easy because the country has natural gas deposits in Palawan province.
Instead of spending P26 million annually on the plant’s maintenance, the government could convert it to produce 1,800 megawatts of power.
“Ito ay naimungkahi ng ibang mga private investors, at dahil sa mga kadahilanang ito ay napapanahon na bigyan ito muli ng masusing pag-aaral,” Coloma said.
He said a South Korean firm has shown interest in converting the BNPP into a coal-powered plant, but Coloma did not indentify the company.
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